


Shadows of Deception

by JoACurl



Category: Dark Shadows (1966)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-30
Updated: 2016-01-21
Packaged: 2018-04-28 21:17:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 41,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5106056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoACurl/pseuds/JoACurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The continuation of Shadows Obsession, Vicki and Barnabas are happily married but nothing lasts forever.  A deadly and possessive foe from the past resurrected and is now set on vengeance he decides he will have what he wants and will not let anything stop him from having what he desires.  Darkness once again comes over Collinwood and those that live there have more to fear than they thought before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

SHADOWS OF DECEPTION

CHAPTER 1

Carpathian Mountains Castle Dracula

Vlad Tepes, sat at his desk and looked at the line of pictures he had lined up in front of him. Radu stood patiently by the door, looking bored and waiting for his next assignment. "Find Sorin, bring him here, I have an assignment for you both." Vlad's voice had sounded distracted, picking up the picture of Vicki he looked at her face and traced his fingertip over her image, tilting his head he was lost in thought, his mind had traveled back to the day he first met his Elizabeta.

The year 1460 Wallachia

Home of Janos Hunyada

She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She walked into the room, her eyes were the most incredible storm tossed color he had ever seen. He could not take his eyes off of her face. She seemed to just glide over the floor and stopped poised in the center of the room. At that moment in time the world had stopped for him and he saw no other but her. Walking forward he waited to be introduced. Her father stepped forward and proudly introduced his daughter to the Prince. "Your Highness, my daughter, Elizabeta Ilona Szilagyi." Vlad had taken her hand and raised it to his lips and pressed a kiss to her wrist, then her palm.

"I am honored." He spoke so softly but never let his eyes leave her eyes and he could see the rush of emotion fill her with he ever-changing color of her eyes. The musicians had started a dance and without letting go of her hand he lead her to the dance floor and bowed, to her. The dance began and he never felt his feet touch the floor as they paced their movements through the dance. He was transfixed. He could not tear himself away from her. She was shy but he knew she felt the same for him as he felt for her. Formally, they courted and then they married.

He closed his eyes remembering the day they wed and the night he took her to his marriage bed. Their love was so complete and special that nothing could ever separate them or destroy their love. Their marriage was filled with the tenderness, devotion that a man and woman can share only if they feel they completed each other and she gave him a son! There was nothing that they could keep from one another, the simplest of pleasures had filled their lives and their love was boundless. They spent their days with the mundane and menial tasks that was what made up the running of an empire, they spent their nights locked in each other's arms. Their love could not be broken in any way.

That was until the Huns had attacked and he was called to war. He had fought bravely on the battlefield and he had won, then the rider came with news. His beautiful and perfect love, his most precious life had thrown her self from the battlements and he was needed at home. Riding most the night he arrived and walked into the chapel chambers where the priests stood over the water soaked battered body of his wife. He had learned that a message had been attached to an arrow and had been shot through the window, announcing his death on the battlefield.

Elizabeta had become so brokenhearted that her love, her life, and her heart had died. Depressed and upset she had walked to the battlements, stepped up on the top of the battlements, closed her eyes and fell backwards. She fell to the river blow. The castle guard had pulled her broken body from the river and taken it to the chapel. The priests had refused to allow her body to stay in the chapel because she had taken her own life. The Priests refused to allow her rest in the hallow halls of all the Draculas'

The priests were adamant she had killed her self she was not allowed to be buried on sacred ground, she would need to be buried away from the others that had died and could be buried on consecrated grounds. This had incensed Vlad, his rage knew no bounds, and he railed against those that denied his beautiful Elizabeta her final peace. That is when he told them they would not be allowed in his castle, they would leave, he had given his blood for the life of the church, now he would take the blood and deny the church his protection. Thus began the self-imposed curse he had lived with for almost seven centuries. He knew somewhere he would find her and he had finally found her. Vlad had found his Elizabeta that would complete his life again.

He must have been lost completely in thought because it was a few minutes before he glanced up to realize Sorin had joined him with Radu. Sorin had become an immortal through the dark arts by his own means and contrivances. He had not embraced the undead or been converted to a minion of Vlad's unlike Radu. Radu had been his Captain of the guard since his marriage to Elizabeta. Sorin had never met Elizabeta but Radu had known his beloved.

Present Day Romania

"Highness you needed me?" Sorin stood in front of the Prince and waited for him to acknowledge him. Vlad listed his chin and looked into the black coldly appraising eyes of Sorin Lupiescu, He had been born to Lupie, which meant wolf. He was broad shoulder, tall, and to some he would have been considered handsome in his dark looks and ways. To Vlad he was his right hand assassin and his go to man when he wanted something done and done right. Dressed in his long leather duster, black leather pants and leather jacket, he looked like the purveyor of death that he was and would always be for Vlad.

"Yes." He lifted the picture to his left and handed it to Sorin. "That is Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, you will bring her here to my castle as my guest." He lifted the picture on the right, handed it over to Sorin, who studied the petite pretty blond girl. "That is Carolyn Stoddard, the daughter of the first woman. She will be the next to come. This, . . . " He lifted the picture next to Carolyn's, " . . . is Maggie Evans, you will bring her here, take them one at a time, a week apart. Finally, you Radu will find a way to infiltrate the Collins Family in the Old House and you will watch Elizabeta, when the others are here and have been made comfortable and await the arrival of Elizabeta, we will then begin phase two of this adventure." He smiled then turned to look at Elizabeta's picture.

"I will expect to be kept apprise of all that is going on and tell my little beauty that she cannot eat Mr. Collins until I say so, if she disobeys me, then she can be eliminated. Now as to my plan." He sat back and waited for them to take their seats. "Once we have Elizabeta's mother, sister, and best friend here at the castle, Sorin you will begin phase 2. It seems that Dr. Hoffman has been busy and I hear she is married. Perhaps we should play with her a little bit before she comes to this country to be my guest."

Vlad lifted the picture of Julia and slid it over to him. "you will take an assume name and set up in a house, I expect you to get close to either Dr. Hoffman or Professor Stokes. I would think with your background you could easily fit into his life schedule and his school schedule. See if you can get the internship as his intern for the upcoming semester. That will put you close to him and Dr. Hoffman."

Sorin accepted the picture of Julia he laid it down with the other pictures. He kept his stoic calm and silence listening to Vlad lay out his plans in detail, he would occasionally glance up to let the Prince know that he was listening. Radu had sat curiously quiet through the whole detailing of the plans. "I know it will be difficult for you to assume a lesser persona my dear friend, but it is necessary to get you past Collins and Stokes. Between the Stokes and Barnabas Collins they are not to be under estimated.

Sorin's well pitched and modulated voice was soft when he spoke. "Collins is he to be brought over?" He looked at the picture of Vicki lying in front of Vlad and noted how his Prince kept running his fingertip over her face. He watched him go distant. His eyes shifted and he peered off in the distance.

"I want Collins here eventually to see what I will do to reclaim what belongs to me, understand, when you bring Elizabeta she is not to be harmed. Her continued good health is important. I have plans; perhaps it will be through her that I shall attempt to bring a child into this world. If I am able to produce a child with her, perhaps, we will then finally know if half human half vampire they are truly day walkers." He had given this thought while he healed in his coffin awaiting his resurrection.

"What of the witch? I know you have her here, how does she fit into these plans and will she interfere with what your plans are? You know she is not going to tolerate being around Elizabeta if she is married to Collins." He had read the bio on all the players of this game and that was one thing that was prominent in the report. Angelique Bouchard had fallen in love with Barnabas and he had scorned her love. "She will pose a problem if you show favor over her to Elizabeta." None of his staff had been permitted to refer to her as Vicki, Victoria or any other name but Elizabeta.

"Then I will have Radu behead her and put her head on a pike. Elizabeta is never to be harmed. Is that understood? I do not care about the others, I do care about Elizabeta." His voice had taken on a velvet like threatening sound as he spoke of harm coming to his beloved. "Elizabeta is the Princess of this land and shall be afforded that courtesy."

Radu sighed softly, "You are aware she does not believe she is Elizabeta, do you not Highness?" Sorin glanced at the man next to him and knew he could be as blood thirsty as he, however he had sat silent through all this planning explanation. Sorin watched the subtle but noticeable to those that knew their master's tightening of his jaw and his slow but cautionary tone as he spoke next.

"I know she believes she is this little nobody Victoria Winters Collins. I know she thinks I am a mad man and that her precious Barnabas is perfect in every way. I have been getting reports on her daily. Once she has been brought over to Romania, and we begin her conditioning, she will come around and remember her true heritage." Vlad had stood and walked to the window that over looked the front gardens of the castle.

Sorin had known his master since the late 1500's and had been through a lot with him, the one thing he knew was he had never given up hope of finding his lost love. He had taken many brides, he had destroyed many brides, he had sought out new loves and found they never full filled him as this meeting with this one woman had done. Sorin sat forward picked up her picture and began to study her in more detail. She was very pretty, she had the same eyes and the portrait, she had the same smile, and that almost too pure look to her. "Highness, you know she is married to Collins now, how is that going to affect you and your plans to have a child with her? What if she is pregnant already or gets pregnant by Collins?'

Sorin saw his reaction was swift, he turned, his anger clouded and his eyes glowing with an inner fire. "If she is, then that child will become my child and she will give me another child. It will be that simple. I may have not claimed her maiden head but by all that is impure and dark, I will have her body and soul." He clinched his fist and glowered at the other picture that lay to the side on his desk. Walking to the picture of Barnabas he grabbed the picture and crumpled it into a ball and threw it into the fire.

Turning he smiled, "I will promise you this much, when the day comes and she married me, he will be there to see the marriage, when I drink her blood, he will be there to see me take what is mine and he will never be able to make a claim on her again!" There had been so much anger and passion put into that statement that Sorin was sure Vlad would be the one to bring Barnabas Collins back to what he was.

"When do we leave my lord?" Radu was anxious to get back to Collinsport; he did not trust Gilda alone and making mischief in his absence. Vlad had looked to the anxiously appearing Radu. He studied him a moment. Closing his eyes he could sense there was an unease in Radu and this was unusual for him.

"Why are you so upset Radu? What has you concerned being away from the Princess?" Vlad looked at his trusted Captain of the guard that had been with him since the days of his assault on the Huns. He knew him like his own brother, except his brother had betrayed him. So in a sense he trusted Radu more than his own brother.

"It is Gilda she was too anxious to bring Mr. Collins over into the world of the undead my lord. She was not impressed with the Princess and felt her time was being wasted." Radu was if anything honest about what was troubling him.

Vlad turned his gaze to Sorin, "You know what to do if she gets out of hand?" He watched a tight smile crease his darkly handsome features and he nodded slightly.

"Not worry my lord, Gilda will follow orders or she will face the daylight and not return to you." Sorin's voice held no emotion as he spoke so easily of ending a life. Vlad knew he had selected his assassin well. He had all the faith in this world and the world of darkness in the two men that sat in his study. A soft knock on the door caused and all three men turned to see a maid standing expectantly in the doorway.

"Yes, Elise?" Vlad spoke softly, this was one of the new maids and he did not wish to loose her, she was being trained to take care of Elizabeta when she came. She did speak English well and was needed.

"His Highness Balan is here my lord. He is requesting a meeting." Sorin stood, followed by Radu, they both bowed to Vlad and turned leaving the room. Sorin had taken the pictures with him leaving the picture of Victoria on the desk for Vlad. Walking into the hallway past the maid Radu sniffed her and smiled, she smelled good, he would even bet she was a type A blood and she would taste as good as she smelled.

Sorin rolled his eyes. "No I will not bet with you what blood type she is. I know better. Come we must prepare the jet and get ready to head to this hole in the wall called Collinsport."

"You know Sorin, you should find and cultivate a sense of humor sometime. It would do you some good to find some laughter and put it in your life." Radu took the right hallway leading to the rear garden and to the sentry posted there. He had to put someone in charge while he was gone and Captain Florescue would make a perfect replacement for him while he was in the States.

Sorin however had a different destination to head and a brief stop. Pausing outside a door he knocked and then entered. There she sat by the fire reading quietly. Those incredible green eyes peered up at him and seemed to gleam with an inner fire of lust and wantonness. "Miss Bouchard. Are you comfortable? Are you finding your accommodations to your liking?" Angelique made it a point to lean over so he could see a healthy portion of her cleavage. She smiled with a look of a predator seeking its prey.

"You may tell his highness I am very comfortable and would like a meeting with him sometime soon when he has time." She stood walked seductively to Sorin. The man was terribly good looking and he was dangerous, she recognized a dangerous man when she saw one. Pressing up to him, she took her fingertips and walked them up his arm and smiled into those cold heartless eyes. She put her arms around his neck only to feel him take her arms and remove them.

"Save your games for others, my job is to make sure you understand something." He studied the look that now filtered over her eyes and the slight frown that edged her face.

"Oh ad what is that?" She walked away from him making sure she used every trick in her book to make sure he saw what charms she had to offer. She looked coyly to him over her right shoulder then turned her back and watched the fire burning cheerfully in the fireplace.

"I want you to understand that should you disappoint my Lord Tepes, it will be my duty to deal with you." He had accented the word deal and watched her shrug her shoulders rolling them forward to ease the tension she had unconsciously allowed to form when he had rejected her playful attempt at seduction.

"Deal with me? How do you propose to deal with me Mr. Lupie? You do realize that I am virtually indestructible so you can't think to threaten me? I could with a flick of my wrist reduce you to nothing more than a pile of dust if I so decide." She had shown her arrogance at his highhanded way of telling her he would 'deal' with her.

Sorin smiled, it was a ruthless smile and the glint in his eyes was charged with his own deeper thoughts, with a flick of his wrist, Angelique found her body twisted around and she was frozen in place. "First of all you may have lived for three hundred years my dear, but I have lived far longer than that and have my own means of dealing with people especially ones that are as over confident of heir powers. If you want to make this a challenge, I will tell you this much. You will loose, you should pick an opponent to which you have a better advantage. Thee is nothing in your little book of tricks that is remotely close to what I can do and will do if you disappoint my master. Understand this much . . . "

He walked over to her towered over her and saw she had real fear in her gaze. He bent over her and sneered into her face. "I will make your life miserable before he sends you back to that pathetic demon you call your master." He slowly and with deliberate ease wrapped his fingers around her slender throat and smiled, this time his smile showed his pleasure in what he was doing. "It would be very easy as you are now to wring your neck and I would enjoy doing just that." He tightened his fingers against her throat. He could smell her fear.

Angelique had never met anyone this strong, powerful and ruthless before. No wonder Vlad Tepes had claimed him as his right hand assassin. "When Elizabeta or as you know her Victoria Winters Collins comes to this house, you will not use your tricks on her, you will not manipulate those around her and you will be on your best behavior. It would be a shame to see such beauty mutilated before you are dispatched to Diablos"

Angelique was afraid of him and she knew she was no match if he could do this to her with little effort. She felt him release her and she staggered back clutching her throat. Turning from him she gasped softly. "I will not disappoint your master, I will not harm Miss Winters, I refuse to call her Mrs. Collins, I had that honor first." She was angry that she had allowed him to make her feel so vulnerable.

"Good, I am leaving here but I have my spies and they will be watching you." Sorin turned and left her to think about her lot in life and what he had just told her. His interest now was to find the Collins family and get on with this newest assignment and not disappoint his master.

Vlad's Library

Alexandru Balan stood with a dapper dress gentleman at his side, standing in a bowler hat, grey kid gloves and a three-piece suit. His mustache was groomed to perfection and Vlad noticed he had what he termed beady eyes. "So you are Angelique's brother Mr. Blair?"

"Yes, so to speak, you see, our Master has sent me to make sure that she is not going to disappoint you or try to further her own agenda when it comes to Barnabas Collins, it would seem my sister does not have any reasoning abilities. If anything she can be a bit over enthusiastic to see he is properly punished for rejecting her affections." Nicholas Blair was a consummated ass kisser when it came to making ground with those of a powerful standing and had the attention of his master. He laid his bowler hat on the table and placed his gloves on top of his hat.

"It is the desire of my master to make sure that you are served and are well cared for while we are here doing your bidding. I understand my sister had been somewhat sedate in her actions of late so I am here to assure you and my master that she is following your orders." He smiled and gently leaned against the table that held his hat, cross his ankles and folding his arms over his chest.

"I can assure you, that your sister had been nothing but charming since her arrival at my insistence. She I am sure by now understands her standing in this house and what is expected of her and nothing more. You do understand that Barnabas Collins has taken a new wife." Vlad could not quite hold his irritation on this bit of information from his tone.

Nicholas nodded slowly, "We keep in touch with those that have been affected by our powers. Angelique is also aware he has been restored to a somewhat normal human state and it is her intention to see him returned to his undead state. Our fears are that she might see the new Mrs. Collins may be harmed in the process. Which is why I was sent to make sure this does not happen."

Vlad chuckled softly, and there was no humor in that chuckle. "That would be most unfortunate for her should that happen, your master would be minus one servant if she harms Elizabeta in any way." Vlad was taking no chances in making his stance clear to this over effusive man who was beginning to annoy him.

Alexandru could hear the irritation in his son in law's voice and turned to Nicholas. "Mr. Blair, if you will go to the foyer, there is a very nice young lady there who will take you to your sister and I am sure she will see a room is prepared for you." Nicholas nodded, pushed from the table, lifted his hat and turned smartly to walk from the room. When the door closed Alexandru turned to Vlad. "I don't trust him or that woman he calls his sister."

Vlad smiled, "Neither do I nor do I intend to let them have free reign over what will and will not happen once my guests arrive. I expect you to keep the mother at your castle my dear friend, the sister may be entertained by Petru, and I shall let Radu or Sorin have the Lady Margaret."

"What of Collins?" Alexandru watched his son in law and noticed that when Collins name was mentioned he had tightened his stance.

"He can rot in my dungeon."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Old house Barnabas' bedroom

Vicki stretched like a lazy kitten, rolled to her side and blinked noting the sun peaking through the window's shade. Smiling she looked at the empty spot her husband had just vacated, she heard the toilet flush and the sound of water running in the sink. The door to their bathroom opened and he poked his head out and saw she was awake. "Did I wake you my love?" He padded back to the bed and slid under the covers.

She curled into his warm body and snuggled close. "No, I just woke up and got lonely because you were gone." He put his arm around her and curled her into his body, lightly kissing her head. She had pleasantly exhausted him the night before and now he was ready to cuddle. She snuggled closer to his body and spoke softly into the warmth of his chest. "Mother wants us to come to Thanksgiving, I said we would. I hope you don't mind." She nuzzled his neck and smiled until she felt him tense. "What? Don't you want to go to Collinwood for Thanksgiving?" She pushed against him raised her chin and looked into his troubled eyes.

"I thought we would celebrate in our own home for Thanksgiving. I actually have never really celebrated such a thing." He tried to pull her back against him and Vicki stopped him from pulling her back into his arms. She sat up in the bed and smiled at him.

"Barnabas celebrating Thanksgiving Day is our way of celebrating our freedom and finding this country. We as families get together, have a huge turkey dinner, then we give thanks for the blessings we have received over the past year. Usually everyone eats until they are as stuffed as the turkey that is prepared and the men like to watch football and the ladies sit around and gossip. If you wish for me to cook, then we could have the family here and use the formal dining room here. I was going to help mother with the meal and so was Carolyn, Julia, Maggie, Daphne . . . " She saw him get that perplex look on his face when she said Daphne.

"That is Quentin's newest girlfriend. He met her at the local hospital, she is a nurse working the emergency room there." She smiled seeing her husband smile. "I think they are quite the item." Vicki slid from the bed, leaned over kissed lightly and walked to the bathroom. Barnabas smiled watching her walk across the room and was reminded of why he had married her she looked good walking away from him as much as she did walking towards him.

Sliding from the bed, he went to his dressing room and pulled out his three-piece dark suit; dressing quickly he wanted to make sure that he was by the phone when the jeweler called. He did not want her hearing what his surprise would be after Thanksgiving, he was had a thirty-day anniversary gift made and wanted to make sure it would be here in a timely fashion. Smoothing his hair down he paused, he was sure he had heard something in their bedroom and he knew Vicki was still in the shower he could hear the water running. Stepping into the bedroom he looked around and frowned.

The room had a different feel to it; someone had been in their bedroom. Walking around the room he paused and heard the phone ring. Walking to the door, he opened and walked out into the hallway and picked up the phone. "Barnabas Collins." He heard a click and another click and a female voice came on the line.

"You may go ahead sir, your party is on the line." There was a brief pause and then his voice came on the line and it froze Barnabas' heart.

"Hello Barnabas, I am sure you thought you would never hear from me again, but here I am. You were very naughty and now you have to pay a price for taking my wife away from me." There was a long pause, Vlad was not sure if he were still on the line. "I am sure you are still there fortunately for you and for me, my ears are excellent I still have my vampiric powers Collins. I can hear you breathing and that heart rate has increased."

Barnabas was thinking and trying to come up with a snappy retort all he could think of was, "She is not your wife any more Tepes, she belongs to me now and she is my wife and you will not hurt her in any way." Barnabas had felt his knuckles grow tense and knew they were white with his tension. He knew if he kept squeezing the phone he would end up breaking the phone. He heard the chuckle over the long distance line and then once again there was that self satisfied almost triumphant sound to his voice.

"My dear Collins, I can assure you, that you may have put a ring on her finger, and you may have claimed to be human again, you may even be living the ideal life you always thought you should have. However, Victoria is my wife Elizabeta and she will be returned to me and sit at my side on my throne and be my eternal and forever mate." Vlad did not give him time to retort he hung up the phone, crossed his arms and chuckled. "Let the games begin."

Barnabas looked at the phone in his hand, his mood had grown darker with each passing minute he stood by the phone, and replacing the phone into the cradle he nearly jumped when it rang again. Grabbing it he snarled, "You won't get away with this I will see you burn in hell before I allow you to hurt any member of my family or my wife."

The voice on the other end was silent for a moment and then a timid young sounding female voice spoke softly, "Excuse me? Is Mr. Barnabas Collins there? This is Juliette with Tiffany's calling to say your package has been sent by special courier and should arrive on the twenty-ninth of November." Juliette's voice had grown dry with the threat she had heard earlier and was wondering what was going on. She waited for a response.

"I beg your pardon, I thought this call was from someone else. Thank you my dear for all your courtesies and your promptness." He hung up the phone and could hear Vicki moving about their bedroom and suspected she was making their bed. He closed his eyes and spoke softly. "Nothing will take you from me my darling nothing." He turned with a tense smile at the opening of their bedroom door.

"Did I hear the phone?" She was dressed casually in jeans and sweater; she was wearing her boots so he knew she was planning on going to Collinwood's barn and ride. He walked to the open door gathered her into his arms and kissed her deeply. "Wow, I should ask if the phone rang all the time just so I could get a response like that." She giggled softly holding tightly to him her arms wrapped securely around his neck.

"Yes I believe they said it was a wrong number, they asked for a Tammy or something like that." Barnabas was quick to come up with a plausible explanation for the phone ringing, he was not about to tell her that Vlad had called or that his gift was coming and would be here at the end of the month. He smiled and broke the kiss. "I see you are dressed for a ride?" He slid his arm around her waist and walked with her down the hallway.

"I thought a ride and then mother wanted me to go shopping with her to pick out the items we would need for the dinner. I hope you would reconsider, and then perhaps next year I will volunteer our kitchen and our dining room to host Thanksgiving Dinner. They walked to the landing and the steps, a glimmer from the hallway caught Barnabas' attention and he saw small Sarah standing outside of Josette's bedroom. Pausing he kissed her lightly on the lips and smiled.

"that sounds lovely my dear. You go on and I will see you later, there are a few phone calls I need to make and those figures from the sale of those coins need to be dealt with. If you see Willie, please have him see me when he is not busy." He watched her trip down the steps in a lively little jaunt heading to the door, pausing to get her jacket from the coat hook. Turning she blew him a kiss and was gone from sight.

Turning he rushed to Josette's room. Sarah and Josette stood in the room waiting for him. "Oh Mon Cheri, it is most 'orrible. Zat evil man is back and wants our Victoria!" Josette was upset and so was Sarah she looked concerned with her little face puckered in her worry.

"Barnabas, why are they trying to hurt Miss Winters? She is not his wife, she is on this side or our world, and she is not Miss Winters." Little Sarah had not looked so sad since the day she saw him as he used to be and became so ill it had caused her death. Barnabas bent to his knee and looked into her sweet little sad face.

"My dear sister, there is nothing that will harm our Victoria, I will make sure she is safe and will be with us always. The evil man has no hold over her or me. So you do not worry my sweet sister." He watched her look so trustingly into his face. Then her face broke into a smile. Looking to Josette he nodded to her and watched her take Sarah's hand in hers and slowly they faded from view. Standing Barnabas nodded slowly, "Nothing will ever harm Victoria or take her from our family again."

Collinwood Foyer

Victoria had a glorious ride along the beach, she had brought back Champ and handed him over to one of the new groomsmen Elizabeth had hired. She had decided since they family would be increased with her and George's marriage they should increase the horses, and hire some stable hands. Vicki handed the reins over to Charles and smiled. "Take good care of him, he is a special baby Charles." She had walked back to the front entrance held up her hand to knock and saw her engagement and wedding ring on her hand and smiled. The door opened and David burst through the door nearly plowing her down. Woah there David!" She laughed and caught him to her chest and smiled.

"Oh Vicki I was just coming to the old house to look for you Aunt Elizabeth is ready to go shopping! I was wondering can I come too?" His anxious little face was filled with excitement and she had to wonder at what had brought about this excitement glistening in his eyes.

"You should use proper grammar, and it is may I come not can, I know you can do this but you need permission so may I come is the proper way of asking to join us in our grocery shopping." She watched his face fall and he sighed huge.

"Oh is that what you are shopping for? I thought it was for something cool. Then I don't want to come, I think instead since Maggie is going with you, I am going for a walk on the beach and see if I can find Sarah." He dashed away from her in such a hurry it almost made Vicki's head spin. Stepping through the door she paused to see Carolyn, Maggie, and Daphne were all waiting on her.

Carolyn wrinkled her nose. "Wow you smell like horse, maybe you should go change clothes, I don't think I want to be stuck in the car with you all day long with you smelling like a barn." Vicki laughed and shook her head.

"Well then we need to run by the old house so I can run up and change."

Daphne shook her head, "Not necessary you can borrow something from me. Come on it won't take a minute. Mrs. Stoddard was sweet enough to give me a room while I am visiting here. I am sure you will be able to wear something of mine, we look to be about the same size."

"Well almost your size, but not quite, she is about two inches shorter than you Daphne." Quentin smiled brightly walking down the steps walking towards Daphne, gathering her close to his body he bent and placed a light chaste kiss on her lips. "I think I am the luckiest man in the world to have found such a beautiful and loving girlfriend don't you think Mrs. Collins?"  
Quentin smiled widely when he called Vicki Mrs. Collins. He also noticed that saying the name had brought a refreshing blush to her cheeks.

"I think she is charming, beautiful and much to nice for you Quentin." She teased him lightly. Vicki watched Daphne break his hold, and start up the steps. Vicki then turned and followed Daphne up the steps and had been tempted to stick her tongue out but only gave him an impish grin. Both girls disappeared up the stairs and from sight.

"Well what is the big adventure for today ladies?" he looked at Liz dressed comfortably in her two piece suit with her herringbone coat, Carolyn was in her jeans and sweater with her hair tied back in a pony tail. He had started towards the drawing room and paused to wait for his answer.

"We are getting groceries for the Thanksgiving Day dinner, so mother wanted to go to Portland to shop, if we can't find what we want there we were going to head towards Freeport. She wants enough turkey to feed everyone. I thought we could just go to Wadsworth on I95 near Brunswick but mother is wanting to shop and she will not be happy until we have traveled the entire Maine Coastline." Carolyn had gone off on a tangent unaware her mother was now giving her the all-purpose mother look.

Quentin recognizing that look well, chuckled softly turned and sauntered the drawing room calling back. "You have a fun day. I bet you do more than just shop for groceries." He ducked into the drawing room to avoid something being thrown at him.

Downtown Logansport

Vicki, Maggie and Daphne had sat in the rear seat of the station wagon, Carolyn had driven them and Elizabeth had watched the map and the road to direct her to where she wanted to go and select her turkey. They had bought the turkey and it was a huge one, thirty-pound turkey and was frozen solid. Elizabeth had made arrangements to have it shipped back to Collinwood. "You know we need some holiday decorations for the dining room." Carolyn was excited they were shopping and had bought most the dry goods, and was in the process of looking for a turkey when they found it while the day was still young.

Elizabeth smiled and knew her daughter well. "Why don't we go on to Portland my dear, and then we all could see what we think we would need to wear to the Thanksgiving Day dinner and from there we shall see what happens for decorations. I know that we have plenty of tablecloths. I was thinking we would set the table with the good china, and use Great Grandmother Edith's crystal. Naomi's silver and what else do we need?"

Carolyn laughed, "A horn of plenty mother, we need to fill it with dried fruit or something to decorate that huge table so that it looks attractive to everyone." Vicki, Maggie and Daphne had taken a backseat to this discussion while they were busy loading their largess in the rear of the station wagon.

"Will we be dressing formally for Thanksgiving mother?" Vicki was curious because the two prior Thanksgivings, Roger, Elizabeth, Carolyn and David had gone to Boston. She was not sure what the protocol for the Collins Family gathering should be or what was expected. She had half look forward to just dressing comfortably since everyone usually over ate and was so full they were unbuttoning their pants.

She remembered at the foundling home there were three special days to be able to pig out at the table. One was your birthday, the other two were Thanksgiving and Christmas. This was a whole new experience for her. Last year, she had stayed at Collinwood and Burke had taken her out to dinner at one of those posh dining resort places up the coast. It was not really like Thanksgiving and she would have preferred to have stayed home and read a book.

"Not really dear but we all need new clothing and they just brought out the new winter line and I thought we could get new coats, boots, gloves and hats since the forecaster is saying its going to be a really cold winter. She looked at Maggie and smiled, "I have your costs covered dear, so don't be bashful." She watched Maggie blushed and shift uncomfortably.

"Really Mrs. Stoddard, I have my own money. After Pop's death, well he had an insurance policy and I put some of that money back and I am getting the rent from the cottage so you don't need to buy me my clothing." She was a proud thing and did not want to be considered a leach on the Collins Family.

She watched Elizabeth's mouth clamp down and she had that stubborn look she had oft time seen on her father's face when he had made up his mind about something and she knew she might as well give in because the great lady had spoken. "Margret Evans. I had planned to do this so do not disappoint me by showing me that Evan's independence. When you and Joe are married or you are on your own then use your money then. This is Roger's treat and mine. Now girls come along."

The trip to Rockport was done in relative ease and quiet. Vicki was feeling tired and at the back of her mind she was bothered by something. She was not sure what it was but it had begun earlier that morning when she heard Barnabas on the phone. He had sounded angry. Now thinking over it she knew he had been upset by the way his body tensed and he had kissed her goodbye that morning. "So, Vicki, how long did you know Barnabas?" Daphne had leaned against her and was fighting the sleepiness that riding in a long road trip always brought on.

"Oh we knew each other for about two years before we got married." She smiled thinking of how she realized she really did fall in love with Barnabas. Maggie had shifted uncomfortably in her seat hearing the question and remembering when she first met Barnabas. She had been working and was closing the café at the Collinsport Inn when he came in and wished to have a cup of coffee.

"So was it love at first sight?" Daphne knew this is what she felt when she first met Quentin. She was feeling less tired carrying on a conversation with her new friend.

"Not really, I was engaged to another man at the time we met and well, Burke died in a plane crash. Barnabas was so supportive and helpful during this time that I naturally gravitated to him and then when that horrible man came and kidnapped me. I knew then how much I missed Barnabas and what he really meant to me."

Daphne was stunned; she had no idea that Vicki had been kidnapped. "You were kidnapped?" She looked shock and touched Vicki's arm in sympathy.

Carolyn piped up. "Oh she has been kidnapped twice and each time we thought she would end up in some ditch dead." She had not meant to sound so crass it was just Carolyn.

"Carolyn!" Elizabeth had scolded her softly. "You should watch how you say things you could hurt feelings being so unfeeling about it."

Carolyn sighed huge and then shook her head. "Mother Vicki has had one weird thing after another befall her since she arrived, it was no secret. For gosh sakes, she was kidnapped by Matthew Morgan who nearly chopped her head off, but said he did not because the famous Lady in White came to save her, then there was that weird thing where she went back in time and lived with the original Collins family, and then that mad man named Radu, isn't that what he said his name was?" She looked at Vicki in the rearview mirror.

Vicki nodded and looked pale and withdrawn. Daphne noting the subject matter was upsetting her friend reached for her cold hand and squeezed and offered her a smile. She noticed that Maggie had also withdrawn somewhat. "Maggie?"

Carolyn ever so wanting to be helpful laughed, "Oh yeah, Vicki is not the only one that had weird things happen to her, Maggie was kidnapped too and she was missing for almost six weeks and later her father found her near death on the beach. We even thought she was dead because we were told she had died of shock after she was brought into the hospital." Daphne's eyes narrowed looking at Carolyn's head and she turned and looked at Maggie who had gone quite white and was shaking somewhat.

"Maggie?" Daphne's voice was reassuring and comforting as she spoke her name. Maggie turned her wide brown eyes and looked past Daphne.

"Carolyn is right, I was very ill, and then I was found wandering in the cemetery. Then one night after I was taken to the hospital, I disappeared and I have absolutely no recollection of that whole ordeal."

Elizabeth was starting to become annoyed with Carolyn and had clamped her lips together forming a thin line of discontent. Speaking softly she almost commanded. "Carolyn, may we please change the subject I fear we may upset Maggie and Vicki and we have been having such a wonderful time up until now."

"Mother I am fine really. I am sure Maggie is too. It is just the trauma sometimes comes back to haunt me and I am sure Maggie had the same feelings too." She smiled and felt Maggie's hand curl over her hand and she squeezed. Daphne laid her hand on top of Vicki's and Maggie's hand and she smiled at them both.

"Well the only dramatic thing I had happen was I got to meet the President, when he toured our military hospital and came for his physical. I had to have a background clearance to be his nurse for the day." She smiled and then subject was then a series of questions about the President and what kind of person he was and was he as nice as he seemed.

Carolyn found a parking spot near the Camden Maine Downtown area so they could walk to the nearest Department Store. The five women spent the day enjoying their shopping trip and Elizabeth felt she spent a small fortune but it was worth it they all now had good warm boots, coats, hats and gloves for the impending winter. As a remind of that winter when they left the store, the wind had grown colder and it was a brisk chaffing walk back to their car.

Collinwood

The drive back was long and tiring but the car was full and the sun was just beginning to set when Carolyn drove into the garage. Unloading, Vicki gathered her packages and started back to the old house with her arms full of the gifts her mother had insisted she have. Smiling shyly she approached the house and felt a set of eyes on her from the wood line. Turning she watched as a huge white wolf bounded out of view. She wondered if that wolf had been following her the whole time she was walking through the woods.

Letting herself into the house she laid her packages on the table calling out, "Darling?" Turning she was surprised to see a very handsome dark hair, dark eyed man standing in her drawing room, he looked her over from head to toe and an easy smile. "Hello?" She walked towards him not sure why she suddenly had a hard knot in her stomach. He bowed to her and lifted his chin to level that chilling cool appraising gaze into her eyes and for a moment, Victoria felt her world tilt and she thought she might faint.

He was quick to sweep her up in his arms and carry her to the sofa. From a far off distance she could hear another voice speaking in a language she was sure she did not know. She whispered softly, " Ai venit în numele prințului Vlad nu-i așa?" She saw a knowing smile cross his lips and a brief nod. Vicki felt her world spin out of control and she lost consciousness. He spoke softly against her hair.

"Yes, my Princess, I come in the name of Vlad but that is between us." He has spoken to her unaware form as he gently placed her in a chair and turned and called. "PROFESSOR STOKES! DOCTOR STOKES! COME QUICKLY I FEAR WE HAVE A PROBLEM!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

He turned at the entrance of Professor Stokes, Dr. Hoffman, and Barnabas and watched as they all huddled around Vicki. Julia was the first to go on bended knee. She immediately took her pulse, frowning she lifted her eyelids, stood and walked to the hall table lifted her medical bag and walked back to Vicki who was just beginning to open her eyes and look around her confused and somewhat embarrassed. "What happened?" She sat forward and put her fingertips to her forehead. She looked up briefly at the man standing behind Julia next to Barnabas. "Oh my I vaguely remember seeing you in my drawing room and I apologize for . . . " She trailed off seeing Julia pull out her stethoscope and blood pressure cup. "What is this?"

"When I took your pulse it was extremely fast Vicki, I just need to see if your blood pressure dropped or was elevated when you fainted. We need to make sure it was nothing more than fatigue or something more serious." She looked to Barnabas, "Maybe we should get her to the bedroom so I can do a proper exam on her." Barnabas nodded; bent to lifted her from the chair. Julia started for the stairs and waited for Barnabas to pass her.

Sorin turned to look at Professor Stokes, "Does she do this often? I hope I did not upset her. I know she did not recognize me when she came in and then she went all blank and well she started to fall and I caught her." He had added enough concern over the situation to detract any suspicion from him being responsible for causing her to loose consciousness.

"Gabriel my dear boy, do not concern yourself, Victoria has been through a lot and frankly she has times when she blanks out, we think from a possible past life. You do not understand what she has been through to bring her and Barnabas together."

"Past life? That is interesting has anyone done past life regression with her?" Gabe ne' Sorin walked to the fireplace mantle. He rested his arm over the top of the mantel.

"Julia tried to do past regression with her once a very long time ago, but was not successful. She had been doing so well we were not about to upset the proverbial apple cart so to speak. We wanted to let things stay status quo. We are happy so far with how things had progressed. However, today something must have triggered this episode."

The front door opened up and Daphne stepped into the foyer. "Uncle Elliott?" She called softly, walking further into the room and paused seeing the handsome man standing at the mantle. "Oh hello." She smiled and he turned and bowed to her. Turning she saw Elliott. "Oh there you are, is Aunt Julia with Vicki?" Daphne slipped off her coat, and stood in her nurse's uniform. Sorin studied the young attractive woman in front of him and waited for Elliott to finish his conversation with Daphne.

"Oh Daphne sweet child, your Aunt is upstairs with Vicki and Barnabas, I fear she must be having an issue with old problems. She passed out earlier and Julia was worried about her, so she had Barnabas carry her to bed. Did your Aunt call you?" Elliott lowered himself to the chair and looked up at the lovely young woman that was as much a mystery as Vicki's illness.

"Yes, she said she needed me to bring her other doctor's bag and to come quickly." She nodded to the stranger and started for the stairs. "Are they in Barnabas room or Josette's?" She turned to peer over at her Uncle.

"I would think my dear they are in Barnabas' room, now that they are married, I believe Josette's room is now used as a guest room." Daphne smiled nodded and headed up the stairs.

"Lovely young woman that one. You said her name was Daphne?" Gabe turned to look at Elliott his mind was working fast, he was sure that this one was not on Vlad's radar. The door opened one more time and again another figure entered the room, and Gabe recognized him as Quentin Collins the cousin to Barnabas.

"Oh Elliott, is Daphne upstairs with Vicki?" He smiled stepping into the room.

"Yes, as a matter of fact she is with Julia and Victoria now." Turning he smiled at Gabriel. "Oh Quentin, I wanted you to meet my newest assistant. Gabriel Matthews this is my dear friend Quentin Collins. Quentin may I present Gabriel Matthews, a student attempting his doctoral thesis under my tutelage in field of ancient practices and dark arts."

Quentin stepped forward offering his hand. "Please to meet you. I can assure you that you could not find a better or more astute tutor than Elliott. I have known him for several years. Each time he has surprised me with his vast knowledge on matters that would creep most out or boggle the minds of those around him." Quentin was being very effusive with his compliments of Elliott.

"I know Mr. Collins, I applied for this position because it was Professor Stokes. I cannot tell you how excited I was to learn I was chosen to be a part of this internship. We have already uncovered some fascinating aspects of the culture surrounding the mythos that was Vlad Tepes." He smiled and looked humble to be in the presence of the man he professed to admire.

"Really, the Vlad Tepes, also known as Dracula. Oh and by the way call me Quentin. Mr. Collins was my father." He chuckled at his joke.

"Then by all means you must call me Gabe, I fear I don't have parents." He smiled and watched Quentin look at him with the appropriate look of sympathy.

"I am sorry were you an orphan? Because you would have shared something with Vicki, for most her life she thought she was an orphan and was even raised in a foundling home. She was fortunate and discovered her parents before she married my cousin and would you not know it! She found she was a born true blue Collins too!" He chuckled and looked at Elliott who was studying the fire in the fireplace.

"Yes, she discovered that she was Elizabeth's daughter born out of wed locked and placed in a foundling home. She made it home and now she is happily married to a distant relative of Elizabeth."

Gabe ducked his chin assumed a thoughtful pose and spoke with the right amount of regret in his voice. "No, my parents were killed when I was a young boy and I was pretty well shuffled around from home to home and raised by foster parents for the rest of my life. I have my memories of them and will cherish them to my dying day and know I shall be with them again that is once this life is over." He had sounded so soulful as he spoke of his parents that Quentin was quiet touched.

"Well I certainly hope you do Gabe, now if you two will excuse me I want to go check on Vicki and see how things are going. I know she has been very stressed out lately and she was hoping she was pregnant. I hope for her sake that is the problem."

This information was upsetting to hear for Sorin, he did not want to transport a pregnant Princess Elizabeta to her true husband. "Well for the newly weds I hope this is the happy occasion they had awaited. Professor Stokes, if you would be so kind as to allow me the keys to your car, I will drop it off at your house, I am sure your wife will give you a ride home. It was a pleasure to finally meet the Collins family of Collinsport."

Quentin chuckled, "Not likely, you have met us all. I would like to invite you to Collinwood for Thanksgiving, I am sure that Elizabeth would be delighted to make sure you are here for the holiday and enjoying it at her table." He shook his hand one more time clapping his shoulder. "We will be dining around one and will be happy to have you as one of our special guests, I am sure Elliott and Julia plan on being there."

Gabe smiled, "I would be delighted, may I bring something?" He was feeling confident that he was finally going to see the inside of Collinwood. He had felt the unrest in the old house and there were spirits that were watching him as he was given the tour. The strongest place he felt the unrest was the room they had called Josette's room. He could sense she was hiding and watching him.

"My dear boy, I am sure anything you bring would be a delight for Elizabeth, she would expect you to bring yourself with not strings for coming to eat at the Collins family table. I already know she is going to have others that are not direct members of the family present. They plan to come early and they will be there to help. So it is your choice." Elliott smiled, dropped his monocle from his eye prepared to escort him to the door. Reaching into his pants pocket he pulled out his keys. "Just leave the vehicle at the house and drop the keys in the mail box."

Handing the keys over Sorin took them with a smile. "Thank you Professor, I will see you tomorrow for your first class." He gave him a half salute, turned smartly threw the keys in the air with a happy whistle. He had the keys to the Stroke's family home and to their car. Now all he needed was to make copies. This had been better than shooting ducks in a barrel. He would have a lot to report to Vlad once the call came through. Getting into the car he inhaled the scent of Julia's perfume and the scent of Professor's Stokes aftershave. Both had chosen something subtle but affective. It was a reminder of what they had done to his Prince. That set his jaw to tighten and his mind working feverishly as to how he would proceed with his mission.

He knew he needed to contact Radu, have him and Gilda find the secret passages in the old house and take up housekeeping there so they both could easily keep an eye on his two main objectives. Starting the car, he put the car in reverse and backed out of the long driveway of the long circle drive of the old house. Stopping at the end of the drive, he adjusted the rearview mirror and focused on the windows of the second story, there was a figure standing in the window, wearing a white gown, she appeared to be watching him then she shifted and disappeared. He smiled, 'So you do exist as Radu said. Well we will see what happens next." Sorin pulled into the main roadway and headed to Collinsport.

Old House Barnabas and Vicki's bedroom

"Well Julia, what caused her to go unconscious?" Barnabas was concerned watching his wife lie half asleep on the bed, she was fighting the injection Julia had given her.

"I think she got extremely exhausted, somewhat dehydrated, and reacted with a drop in blood pressure. I am pretty sure Vicki you are not pregnant. I am sorry." Julia watched the disappointment edge its way across her face. "I think you were too anxious over the possibility you were pregnant and you managed to get yourself over excited and you will rest and you and Barnabas will try again." She smiled patted her arm, turned to put her stethoscope into her medical bag. "Now, I am going to head for home, I was up most the night with a difficult patient."

Daphne stepped forward and could see how desperately disappointed Vicki was over not being pregnant. "It will be all right Vicki. It was just not the right time. You need to rest and Quentin and I will spend the night and I will take care of you. We have a big week coming up. We are going to need you to help us with the big Thanksgiving dinner." She smiled as she edged her hip on the side of the bed. She reached for Vicki's hand and squeezed and smiled with a hint of encouragement for her. "Besides think of the fun you and Barnabas will have in trying to make a baby." She had spoken softly for her ears only and saw the delightful spread of color into her cheeks. "Good we can still make you blush."

Quentin stepped to the side of the bed. "Hey no secrets from the men here. Oh and guess what? Elliott invited his new assistant to join us for Thanksgiving nice fella name of Gabe Matthews."

"Oh is that who that was in the drawing room?" Vicki had played with her gown's ribbons while she looked up to smile bravely for her two friends. She watched Quentin drop his hand over her shoulder and squeeze it lightly. She watched Daphne smile, and cover his hand with her hand. "Hmmm, when do we hear about you two getting married?" She was teasing them and watching the sweet smile spread over Daphne's face.

"We are waiting for me to complete school first. Then we will set date and I hope you will do me the honor of being my matron of honor. Your friendship has meant so much to me Vicki. I feel we have bonded with one another." Daphne's voice had been so soft and filled with such sincerity that Vicki was touched.

"I would be honored to be your matron of honor." She yawned and Daphne smiled. "Well I can't fight the drug Julia gave me much longer. I fear sleep is calling to me. " Vicki smiled apologetically.

Daphne covered her and spokes softly. "I will be down the hall if you need me." She turned rising from the bed, she looked to Barnabas. "She really should rest. Her blood pressure was dangerously high. We don't need any problems for her now." Daphne walked with Quentin from the room, closing the door behind her she turned to Quentin with a look of absolute concern. "That was not good Quentin, she could have stroked."

Quentin gathered her close to him and kissed her earlobe. "Then we watch her and get some wool cotton and wrap her up in it tightly. Then she will be safe. Now come along, we have dinner to fix and plans to make." He nibbled her neck and heard her giggle. "Did I ever tell you how delicious you were?" She giggled as he nibbled her neck, turning they walked down the hallway together.

Beach house near Collinwood

Sorin, pulled his vehicle to a halt outside the neatly kept cottage, reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the house key and exited the car. Walking up the paved walkway he used the key to get into the house, turned on a light then walked to the dining room table. Carefully he pulled out the key impressions he had made and smiled. He was already halfway to starting his plans for Dr. Julia Hoffman. The phone rang and he lifted the phone and spoke in his native tongue. "Hello my prince."

"You are established? You have made contact?" The deep rich voice of his master spoke with an air of confidence he had grown to appreciate.

"I am, I have the keys to the Stoke's house, car, and I believe Dr. Hoffman's office at Wyndcliff. I am also invited to a dinner at Collinwood. I have also discovered Quentin Collins a cousin has a very lovely young woman he has an interest in and you might wish to consider her a guest too. I noticed that Quentin Collins is very close to Barnabas and I suspect he is not all he appears."

'He is not all he appears, and the young woman you are speaking of is Daphne Harridge. I believe she is a nurse hired by Julia to stay in residence at Collinwood. I think you may be right, we will add her to our list, but I want her brought when we bring Elizabeta. I don't want her to panic and try to hide from us, so she will be allowed one friend to travel with her."

Sorin smiled; he liked the idea of a little bit of hope to dash it in the end when they both discovered they were on their way to Romania and the guest of Count Vlad Tepes. "We had a bit of a problem today I thought you should know, she spoke to me in our native tongue and then she collapsed. The doctor thought she might be pregnant by Collins." He had anticipated a long pause but not this long. He waited because he knew Vlad was on the other end and was probably digesting the information he had just given over.

"Do you know if she is pregnant?" The words were so soft, that Sorin was glad he had listened closely to what was being said. Sorin had not been present for the outcome of that decision so he did not know.

"I am not sure, I had to leave to get copies of the keys. I am sure I will find out by tomorrow." He waited again and that long held pause was longer. "My lord?" He asked and heard him clear his throat.

"YOU need to find out if she is pregnant. If she is to have a child it will be my child. Do you understand me Sorin. You may wish to get Gilda and Radu in place. We may have to move up our plan. I was hoping to have her mother in residence with her sister right after that ridiculous holiday they like to celebrate."

"Yes, my lord I understand. Do you wish Gilda to convert Collins or do you wish him to be tasted only, she has been difficult to control according to Radu." Again there it was a slightly less than the longer pause he had taken before.

"Have her bite him and only taste him. I want him here when I take her as my wife and bring her over. I want him to feel the grief he caused me while I was being resurrected. I want him to know what it is like to watch and loose what you cherish the most."

"Understood again my lord, I will have the information you seek when once again we speak tomorrow."

"Very good Sorin, I will leave you to your duties. Until tomorrow around the same time; I will bid you good night." The line went to a dial tone and his connection with Vlad was gone. Sitting back he frowned. He was sure he was not about to risk the Princess life by having him try to force a miscarriage. He knew his master too well to think he would not take them both. He risked the hatred of his beloved if he took what she wanted the most.

Closing his eyes he sighed deeply. Tomorrow would be a very busy day. The finals for the classes would be given before Thanksgiving break. He would have more time to do what he needed and he needed to set up a nasty little surprise for Julia. He opened the table drawer and pulled out the vial of clear fluid and smiled. "yes, my dear Dr. Hoffman you will now see what it is like to have a drug introduced into your system that you never expected to have."

Collinwood Drawing Room

George Patterson sat back in the chair by the fireplace, he laid out his paper on his lap, pulled his glasses from his pocket and slipped them on. Looking down at the paper he felt comfortable and relaxed. Something he had not felt for a long time. Hearing the door open he glanced up and smiled seeing Thomas walk in with Pamela Watkins on his arm. "Hey Pop. You remember Pam don't you?" He put his arm around her waist and drew her into the room. George noticed she was anxiously looking around the huge room with wide eyes.

"Yes, I do Pam, how is your mother doing? I know your Dad is in Wyoming on business and she was home alone. Everything okay?" He had promised Mitch he would keep an eye on the house and his wife Caroline.

She still looked around the room and whispered softly to Thomas. "You sure this place ain't haunted?" Thom rolled his eyes.

"Yes, now answer Pop and don't be rude." He admonished her with a degree of impatience. "Pop Caroline is fine, she is home now and wished us a good evening." George removed his glasses, held them with his thumb and forefinger and studied the young flighty girl and prayed Thomas was not that interested in her because she appeared to be rather vacuous.

"Oh Sorry Sheriff, yep mom is fine. Dad is coming home earlier than he thought so things should be happier." George smiled watching the woman behind Thomas step into view.

"Hello Thomas, and who is this?" she walked further into the room to George's side bent and kissed his forehead, and then sat in the chair next to George. Elizabeth looked to Thomas and his friend. "You two could come in and sit if you want." Liz smiled and reached her hand over for George's hand. Feeling him curl his fingers into her hand she smiled and watched Thomas escort his girlfriend into the drawing room. Taking a seat on the sofa she waited to be introduced.

"Um Elizabeth, this is Pamela Watkins. Pam this is Elizabeth Stoddard." He watched his girlfriend pop her head up and look wide eyed and impressed that she was sitting with Elizabeth Collins Stoddard.

"Oh my goodness, my Dad works for you." She blurted out and then slapped her hand over her mouth.

"Mitchell Watkins is your father? Why how charming. You must be very proud of your father." Elizabeth was being gracious as she spoke to the young girl that seemed to be more impressed with the fact she had something juicy to hold over her friends than agreeing with Elizabeth. "Your father is in Wyoming now on business for Collins Canneries. He is setting up an outlet for our fishing business and if he is successful, he will be pocketing a nice bonus."

She felt George squeeze her hand and she turned to smile for him. Pam finally realized she was being rude and she spoke up rather excitedly. "Well he called mom before Thom picked me up and said he would be home early he was finished and that he had them sign on the dotted line. So I guess that should make everyone happy especially mother who has been so lonely with him being gone and all."

David entered the drawing room with his jacket on. "Um Aunt Elizabeth, I am going to the old house to see Vicki, someone said she was ill and I wanted to make sure she was ok." This announcement brought George to his feet.

"I will drive you over David, do you want to come Elizabeth? Thomas don't be out too late. You have finals coming up and I know that Pam has her finals due also." He helped Liz to stand and together they walked towards the door.

Liz paused turned and smiled. "Please make yourself at home and if you do go out be careful, we have a cold front blowing in and it is suppose to bring some ice with it. It was nice meeting you too Pamela, you both have a lovely evening."

The two watched the three of them leave and Pam turned and squealed, "I just met Elizabeth Collins Stoddard and they are gone do you want to call up Eleanor and Bobby and see if they want to come out and we could party. They got a lot of booze here!"

Thomas stood and pulled her up. "Nope we are going to the Blue Whale if you want to drink you can do it there." Thomas was resolved to not take her out again. He just wanted this date over so he could find the right girl.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Collinwood, Kitchen Thanksgiving Day

The smell of a turkey baking filled the kitchen with the smell of the baked pumpkin pies, apple pies and the various other wonderful smells associated with Thanksgiving. Vicki sat at the bar pealing potatoes. She was listening quietly to those around her as they laughed and joked and stole pieces of ham and turkey from the platters. Vicki had thought about pealing extra potatoes just in case there were not enough potatoes for mashed potatoes. She felt flushed and behind her eyes was the sting of a headache just beginning.

Elizabeth wearing her apron smiled and walked to Vicki's side and leaned over to speak softly to her. "Darling you look very pale, should you not maybe go up to your old room and lie down for a little while until dinner, it is going to be in another two hours. I have one more turkey to get out and slice and one more ham so you might as well go and lie down." She kissed her temple, holding onto her shoulders.

Vicki had to admit a lie down might be good. She smiled at her mother nodded slowly and stood and felt dizzy and sat quickly. "Daphne!" Elizabeth saw her wobble on her feet and steadied her to the barstool. Daphne had her hands in dishwater, turned and frowned seeing Elizabeth was holding Vicki to the stool. "Vicki needs our help to her old room. She has a headache and I think its best she go to her room."

Daphne dried her hands and looked around and smiled, seeing Quentin coming into the kitchen. "It smells wonderful in here! So, um what is going on?" He looked concern noting that Vicki was looking pale and needing help sitting up.

"Oh thank goodness Quentin, you can help me get Vicki upstairs to her old room so she can lie down, Elizabeth says she has a headache and from the looks at her, it might be a migraine." She had walked to the other side of Vicki and stepped back as Quentin lifted her and turned to the servant's stairs.

"Someone go to the library and tell Barnabas we are taking his wife up to her old room. When Julia gets here with Elliott send her up as well. If it's a migraine perhaps Julia could give her something for the pain." Quentin turned and held her close going up the stairs and down the hallway to her old room. "I bet you thought you would never come back to this room once you were married." He chuckled softly holding her close to his chest.

Collinwood, Vicki's old bedroom

Noting her door was open he walked into the room and noticed Elizabeth had changed the bedroom around putting the bed over by the window and moving her dresser against the door. Walking to her bed, he laid her down and noted she had been far too quiet on their walk up the stairs. Her eyes were closed tightly and she was breathing rapidly. "Vicki? " He pulled the blanket up and over her body covering her.

Vicki's eyes shot open and she looked past Quentin, speaking in a tongue he was only vaguely familiar with he found she was babbling as she reached forward clutching to his arms. "meu prinț iubit! el se apropie, pot să simt să-l aproape, vă rugăm să-l găsesc sau mă înainte să mor!"* Releasing his arms she fell back and closed her eyes.

Quentin became alarmed the only words he had understood out of all that mumbo jumbo nattering, was 'my prince', and 'die'. He frowned and tried to remember the words she spoke, she would have to ask Elliott what she had said. From the doorway he heard Barnabas' voice.

"Do you know what she just said?" He walked to the bedside and sat on its edged, taking her hand in his and looking at how pale and drawn she was. "She did not sleep well last night and since that day she fainted she has not been herself. I am worried Quentin." He glanced up at his cousin who stood leaning against the wall looking from Barnabas to Vicki.

Secret passage on the other side of Vicki's old bedroom

Radu Florescue had hidden in the panel behind the wall in the secret passage way. He had clearly heard her say, 'my beloved prince! He is coming, I can feel him close by, please find him for me before I die!' He was convinced more than ever she was Elizabeta and these people were suppressing her. He had to find a way to report this to Sorin so he could tell his prince what was happening! He had accidently found this secret passage while exploring the two houses. Was it providence that allowed him to hear his princess ask for her prince? He had to believe it was so. Something had guided him here in time to hear Victoria speak the language of her past life.

Pressing closer to the wall panel he was listening to everything that was going on and right now Victoria was having a headache, was that not a sign that another life was trying to emerge? He had read somewhere that when the personalities were merged and one wanted to come out, the other personality would get a horrid headache. That was the case now he was sure of it. He wished he could see what was happening, apparently Dr. Hoffman-Stokes had arrived and she was now examining Victoria. He refused to call her Vicki, which was such a silly name. A peasant's name his princess needed an noble name and she should claim the name Elizabeta and be done with these foolish people here and return to her one true love.

Vicki's bedroom

Julia had looked into Vicki's eyes and could see she was having a migraine. "Now my dear, you have over done yourself again and you are not getting enough rest. What I propose to do is try a little hypnosis and see if we can get the headache under control and then I want you to sleep for another hour and awaken feeling refreshed so you can enjoy this day." Reaching into her medical bag, she looked at the medallion she held in her hand and dangled it in front of Vicki having her concentrate on the facets and the way they reflected the light. Vicki at first resisted and then started watching the light and the pretty colors and soon found herself in a deep trance like sleep. "Very good Vicki, now I want you to rest and in one hour you will awaken and you will feel refreshed and you will no longer have a headache. Do you understand?"

She nodded her head slowly, "I understand no headache and awaken in one hour feeling refreshed." She snuggled down deep in her bed and relaxed totally. Julia stood from the bed, and walked to stand next to Quentin and Barnabas. "I suppose she did not sleep well last night?"

"No, she kept having this dream that woke her up. She is seeing a huge vat of blood and she falls into the vat and feels like she is drowning in the blood. She gets out ad then is being pursued by what she thinks are long clawed demons who drag their nails across a stone floor coming for her. She wakes and is in tears and so afraid Julia. I don't know what is causing this, but it seems to possess her to the point she is afraid to fall asleep and once she does she has the same dream over and over."

Julia pursed her lips and looked up in a moment of study. Tapping her finger against her lip and smiled, turned to Quentin, Barnabas and looked at Daphne making Vicki comfortable. "I would say she is suppressing something that has caused her anxiety. I would say after we get through dinner today, I come back to the old house and we shall see about suppressing that dream so she can sleep. Daphne, once you see she is comfortable, just turn out the light and join us downstairs. I left Elliott with Roger in the den, George, the boys and the other guys are watching the football game in the TV room. I promised he girls I would be down to help with dinner."

Daphne nodded, "Aunt Julia please let them know I will be down to finish up the dishes." She smiled tucking the sheet and blanket around Vicki and arranging her pillows so she would be more comfortable.

"Oh not necessary dear Mrs. Johnson put them in the dishwasher and the kitchen is about cleaned up. I do think they needed the formal dining room table set, we might be able to do that for them. I brought my green bean casserole and Elizabeth was heating it up in the oven. We will see you down stairs shortly?" She turned lifting her bag and walking to the door to pause and look around the room. "I think I like this room better this way." Julia absently commented as she walked out into the hallway. Daphne followed her Aunt to the hallway.

Barnabas sat on the edge of the bed and held his wife's hand for a little while longer, leaning over he kissed her forehead and brushed the hair from her face. Standing he followed Daphne and Julia into the hallway, closing the door quietly behind them. With the closing of the door, Vicki slipped into a deeper sleep. She fell head long into that surreal world that was her dreams. She awaken in her dream to a dark room. A soft candle lit room began to emerge and she could hear laughter and music, it was a party!

Stepping down a long wide corridor she walked towards the sound of the music. Stopping in front of a floor to ceiling mirror she turned and viewed her image, she wore a long gown of brocade and satin of the deepest ruby red, embossed with gold trim and black embellishments of feathers. Her hair was dressed on her head and in her hair she caught the glitter of diamond pins that held her curls in place. On her face was a delicate black feather and gold mask. It was a masquerade ball. She felt her heart lighten and she was excited. Oh how she loved a masquerade ball. They were always filled with excitement and mystery.

Pivoting on her toes, she paused and noted the entrance to the ballroom. There was soft chatter, giggling young maidens and a spurt of deep laughter or a raucously loud laugh from a woman. They all sounded like they were having fun and Vicki was excited she knew this night she would meet her heart's desire. With a feeling of trepidation she stepped to the entrance and peered into the huge ballroom that seemed to be crowded with so many people. They were twirling and gliding around the floor. All the people were dressed in their finest gowns and dress suits and everyone wore elaborate masks.

Stepping into the room, she felt overwhelmed by the shear size of the room. From across the room she saw him. He was tall and dressed in black tie and tails. He set his eyes on her and she felt her breath catch. He wore a long cape that swept against his ankles with his movement towards her. His mask was one of a large black bird, the nose like a hook beak, the eyes slit showed only the minor part of his eyes that seemed to glisten from a golden brown to a icy blue hue. He walked to her and bowed, offered her his hand and led her to the floor, the others parted from the floor to allow them space to dance. The music paused until he turned and nodded his noble head to the bandleader. The music began and she was pulled up against him and he began to glide her around the floor keeping in perfect step with her to the beat of the music.

His lips were full and a soft smile lifted at the corners of his mouth. He never spoke, he just kept her mesmerized with his look as his gaze caught and held her gaze and they glided around the room together, her dress a perfect foible to his dark clothing and cape. The cape appeared to take on a life of its own as he held her close and they danced, the cape almost appeared to become wings that enfolded and caressed her while he held her close. The room seemed to suddenly disappear and they were now dancing in a garden under the soft moonlight. He twirled her around and around and she felt herself falling into his arms and leaning into his body.

Feeling winded she became breathless laying her head on his shoulder she closed her eyes and spoke softly, "my love tonight you have made me the happiest woman alive. I love you my dear sweet Barnabas. I will always love you!" She felt her body thrust away and the eyes that peered down at her were cold as death and filled with contempt. The hand that came up to remove her mask was quick and ruthlessly cruel. Vicki stepped back looking confused, she had just confessed her love to her lover and now he treated her with contempt.

With fingers that trembled slightly she lifted the mask from his face and fell back with a horror filled gasp. The man that had held her that now looked up her with contempt and anger was not Barnabas but Vlad. He reached for her wrist and pulled her into his arms, his voice was cold and clipped. "You will never speak that man's name to me again. Do you understand Elizabeta, you belong to me now, you are mine to have and to hold for an eternity!" Vicki broke her hold and turned and began to run.

Her dress hampered her forward movement, clutching the dress she lifted it to run, she ran towards the lighted hall that she knew she had been in earlier. Entering into the hallway, it was now filled with white blowing curtains that acted like long tendrils attempting to grab at her and pull her into their cloying embrace. Fighting against the curtains she felt it tear at her hair and her body, rending her clothing from her turning her beautiful gown to tatters. Then it began that mockingly hideous laughter that floated around her and down the hallway mocking her every move. The laughter was definitely from a woman that seemed to enjoy watching her being tormented by her ordeal.

"You think you belong to Barnabas, not so my dear Victoria, you belong to Vlad and I will make sure you and he are reunited once again in a baptism of blood!" Vicki spun around she knew that voice, she knew it well and it frightened her beyond belief, Angelique had come back to torment her and Barnabas. She stopped her struggle with the curtains and stood her ground, looking around she shouted.

"NEVER! WE ARE MARRIED! YOU DO NOT HAVE CONTROL OVER OUR LIVES!" Turning she saw a door at the end of the hallway and she ran towards that door, grabbing the handle she opened it to have a room filled with blood flow down on her and over her washing her with its rush down the hallway. Vicki felt the scream caught in the back of her throat and she sat up with a gasp and in tears. Covering her face she began to sob. Rocking back and forth she sobbed into her hands, twisting to collapse against her pillow and cry into her pillow. She was exhausted and soon fell back into an deep sleep devoid of dreams. Josette stepped into her room followed by Sarah.

"The witch is up to her old tricks little one we must see she does not harm Vicki." Josette looked at Sarah who had walked to Vicki's bedside and gently caressed her hair.

"No, we need to make sure Angelique does not send her any more dreams. You know what we have to do." Sarah turned to look at the lovely tragic figure of Josette. Watching her smile and nod. Together they both slowly faded from view leaving only he scent of Josette's perfume in the room. Barnabas opened the door and stepped into the room pausing and sniffed. Looking around the room he spoke softly to the room.

"Josette?" He walked further into the room and paused turning he looked around and waited and again he called, "Josette?" Not receiving a response he frowned and walked to the bed and gently shook Vicki. "My love wake up we are about to serve dinner and it would not be Thanksgiving without you." He watched her roll over and she looked ghastly, but for him she smiled and pushed her hair from her face. "My dear, are you still not better?" He could not help but noticed she appeared to have been crying.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I feel tired my love. I feel as if I have been running and running and I am very tired." She allowed him to help her from the bed and to stand next to him, sliding on her shoes; she supported her weight to him and let him lead her from the room. "I must have dreamed but I just can't remember what I dreamed. I will say perhaps getting some food, I will feel better." He held her next to his body and guided her to the top landing. "Oh, I forgot my bracelet on the night stand." She turned to go get it and Barnabas stopped her.

"no my dear you go on down and I shall fetch it, I know how much that bracelet means to you." He kissed her temple and turned, he had not gotten very far, she he heard he gasp and turned and watched in horror as she collapsed and gracefully slid down the stairs to land in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the steps. Barnabas' heart skipped a beat. He turned and rushed down the stairs, shouting, "JULIA! DAPHNE!" Coming to a halt at the bottom of the stairs he bent to pick her up when Daphne arrived with Quentin.

"BARNABAS! NO, DON"T!" Daphne was at Vicki's side bending down to gently check her neck, her shoulders and then her back. "Okay, we are going to lift her together and take her into the drawing room to the sofa. Barnabas, you will support her head and neck, Quentin, you will support her legs and feet and I will support her back, now on three we lift and we carry." Julia arrived to see them collecting Vicki from the bottom of the steps and she turned to get her doctor's bag.

"Did she fall? How far and is she conscious?" Julia lifted her bag and followed the four into the drawing room. Elizabeth, George, Roger, and Carolyn arrived to see Vicki being carried into the drawing room. "I need someone to call an ambulance. I will call the hospital." She turned to do a brief exam of Vicki, as she lay still unconscious on the sofa. There were so many questions she needed to ask, yet there was no time to do anything other than make sure she had not broken her back or her neck.

Sorin stood in the doorway with George, Elliott and the boys. "Is she going to be all right?" He genuinely did care that she was not harmed; he was not sure how he would report this to his master once they spoke tonight. He had just enough time to spike Julia's wine before they were called into the drawing room. He knew Julia had taken a couple of drinks but was not sue if she had ingested enough of the drug to have any affect on her.

"I won't know until I can get an x-ray and have her checked out at the hospital. I think you all should go on and eat your dinner before it gets cold and I shall with Barnabas take Vicki to the hospital and then you all could join us there later. She took a nasty fall from the top of the stairs." The sound of the siren could be heard in the distance. "Someone get the door please and allow the attendants in."

Vlad Tepes Castle Carpathian Mountains.

Angelique sat in front of the mirror and smiled, she looked down at the clay figure of Vicki Winters with the strands of hair and ribbon she had found from her stay in this castle when she had been brought here those many moths ago. "That is right Vicki, let us just see how well you handle the next dream I send you. I will drive you from Barnabas to here and you will accept your part in this play and this whole plan I have set in motion." She giggled and stood sighing very pleased with what she had done so far. Walking to the door, she thought she should go down stairs and see what her host was doing. Perhaps she could have some fun with him.

Opening the door she came up short seeing Vlad standing at the door and glaring at her. "What have you done witch." He growled low and grabbed her wrist jerking her against his chest. He glanced over the room and on her dresser he saw it, the clay doll. "What mischief have you been up too?" He jerked her with him as he crossed the room and lifted the doll holding it out for her to see. "What is this?" He could see the strands of dark hair that were woven into the head of the clay doll. The ribbon he recognized immediately throwing her across the room to land hard on the floor he held the door before her and he frowned. "Undo what you have done or so help me I will send you back to your dark lord in pieces."

He was more than angry he was outraged. "DO IT NOW!" He advanced on her and stood over her cowering figure and shoved the doll down into her face and growled. "I said do it now." His voice had gone too soft for he comfort. Exhaling a ragged breath she drew herself up and reached hesitantly for the doll afraid of what he might do her. She frowned and spoke in a pleading tone. "I only meant to bring her to you willingly." She tried her pretty lie and found he did not believe her.

"You have caused her harm. I know I can feel her and I feel her pain and you were behind it. I have excellent hearing and I heard your claim, now undo it now before I summon your dark lord and tell him how unhappy you have made me."

Angelique took the doll, walked with a slight limp to the mirror and looked at the clay image, carefully she began to draw the hair form the doll and the ribbon. "What as set in motion is now undone, what was will not be reversed as if it never was. So, I call upon the darkness that grants my powers to reverse what was done." Turning she handed the clay image that represented Vicki over to Vlad. "There it is done, I hope you are happy now?" He watched her grab the clay image and crush it in his hand.

"If ever I find you are dabbling in your dark arts without my knowledge again, there will be nothing of you to recognize when I am done with you. Do I make my point clear?" Turning he left a shaken and angry Angelique to contemplate his threat.

Angelique sat heavily with a disappointed huff on her stool. Turning to the mirror she looked at her image and the scowl that edged her beautiful features. "I will have my revenge and it will be done by me not you."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Collinsport Hospital Emergency exam room

Vicki laid on the gurney and looked at the ceiling tiles, they had a star pattern and she began to count the stars. She had gotten to four hundred twenty stars when Eric Lang walked into the room holding her chart. “Well my dear you had a nasty tumble down those stairs. I think we will discharge you but with strict orders that you go straight home and to bed. You are going to be very sore in the morning.” Eric Lang posed his most charming smile, tilted his head and studied the young woman in front of him. There was something very different about her. She has this look of purity and innocence although he knew she was married she was not like most the countless hard bitten, live, love and peace groupies he had seen come and go from this town. Walking down the hallway to his office, he pulled a vile of blood from his pocket and smiled.

“Eric? What are you doing here? I thought you were going home after Dr. Carlton came in?” Julia walked with a sense of purpose down the hallway to confront the controversial Dr. Eric Lang. His theories in school had matched hers only his was in finding a cure for death where hers had been blood disease. Where they had laughed her off the stage from her dissertation speech, they had sat enthralled with his outrageous ideas of transferring one soul into the dead body of another and reanimating the dead to bring it back to life. She wanted very much to have been taken as seriously as Eric’s outlandish ideas had been well received and she knew it was because he was a man and she was a woman and should be married and dependent on her husband. She even recalled that was called out to her when she had taken the stage initially.

The comment had raised enough uncomfortable laugher when she glared at the one that had made such a sexist call and when she told him that his ideas were from a very narrow mind that was not obviously set in the scientific world of medicine. The resulting return comment was, “And yours should be set in science fiction Ms. Hoffman.” Julia had the grace to not respond and turned to the moderator to see if he would call down the heckler when it was not forth coming she continued with her dissertation ignoring all further comments. 

“Dr. Carlton called in and said he would be late, so I stayed over Julia. Nice to see you too.” He coyly smiled and slid the vial of blood back in his pocket. “What brings you to he hospital and not Wyndcliff?” He continued to walk down the hallway toward his office and knew she would follow him. He paused outside his door and nodded, “Care to join me in my office? I have some notes to make about my patient’s tonight.” He opened the door and waited patiently for her to enter.

Julia followed him in, paused in the middle of the room and looked around. It was just like Dave Woodard’s office only a little larger, one desk and chair, two patient consult chairs, a file cabinet, one window, with blinds no curtains, a closet, a coat rack to hang his lab coat and stethoscope on. Lying on his desk was his head mirror. Swiping it into his desk drawer he sat and folded his hands on his desktop and smiled charmingly for Julia. “Did I hear you got married?” 

“Eric, you took care of one of my patient’s tonight, I just wanted an update on her.” She sat on the edge of one of the consult metal chairs and knew they were uncomfortable so that patients would not camp out in the doctor’s offices. She held her purse and actually did want to know about Vicki but she was also waiting on her own blood test results as to why she had gotten so dizzy and disoriented earlier. 

Eric sat back, folded his elbow to the chair’s arm, cupped his palm to his chin and smiled watching her for a moment. “You are still a very beautiful woman Julia, so who did you marry?” He was not quiet ready to answer her questions. He wanted to make her squirm a bit before he gave in. They did after all have a little of a rivalry when they were in college together. He rather enjoyed being bested by her; she was a spitfire with that red hair and those flashing green eyes. He watched her slid back in her chair and fix those calculating eyes on him and it made him excited to see he had finally gotten under her skin.

“I married Elliott Stokes, Eric if you really must know. Now about my patient . . . “ She had tried to steer him back to her patient and once again he smiled a charmingly sweet smile his own eyes lighting up with delight as he took her off track again.

“Oh ‘The Elliott Stokes? The one that studies the dark arts and teaches various religious tribal beliefs and the such at the University?” He leaned back and stretched out his long legs under the desk. He waited for her to loose her cool. He saw those eyes and could wonder at what was taking place in the back of her mind as she tried to evaluate him and knew he was baiting her.

“Yes, Eric, Elliott Stokes who teaches at the University and I guess I will wait and get the records on my patient later, now if you will excuse me, I am no longer in the mood for cat and mouse and will not play this incessantly annoying game of yours.” She stood and turned to leave. When his voice arrested her in her steps.

“How long have you been treating a vampire Julia? Have you been successful?” He had said is so softly that is caught her off guard and he saw how she had tighten her muscles in her back. He watched her turn and look at him in mock surprise. 

“What did you say Eric?” She paused and folded her arms across her chest sending her handbag to swing back and forth with the force she was holding her arms. Then there was the tick in her jaw when she locked her teeth together, she must have been biting her tongue to keep from saying anything else.

“I said how long have you been treating your vampire and were you successful with your cure?” He was being so casual knowledgeable that she had to wonder if Vicki had said something to him about Barnabas.

“As memory serves me very correctly, and my memory is very good Eric, I recall you were one of the many that laughed me off the stage that day I gave my dissertation, so what makes you think I have a vampire I am treating and what business would be to you if I were successful or not. You and your knowledgeable colleagues all thought I was writing a paper for a science fiction magazine instead of my dissertation.”

He chuckled, “Still as sharp tongue as ever I see Julia. You know it’s a shame that you ended up with Elliott. You should have married me. Together we could have conquered the world with our theories and we could have won the Noble Peace Prize. You can stand there and deny all you want Julia but I know and I have the proof in the blood. Your patient is Victoria Winters and she has a very specific cell that is not common for her. I surmised she has been bitten and the cell was transmitted into her blood and has lain dormant. Now the only reason as I recall your theory was that it would lay dormant is because the transmitter had been cured and no longer had control or command over that cell.”

He had the gall to put his feet up on his desk, and laced his fingers together folding them behind his head to support it. He had nailed her with his gaze and smiled. “See, I did pay attention and I thought your dissertation was brilliant by the way.” He watched her to see if she would become unnerved. He marveled at her terminality to continue to stand and be in denial. 

“Eric I am sure I have no idea of what you are speaking of or about. I merely wanted to know the condition of my patient whom you had treated earlier. I will bid you good night.” Julia knew that she to leave this office before she said another word that might jeopardize her relationship with Barnabas. Turning she put her hand on the doorknob.

“I know because of her blood she was bitten by whomever and I know you are not ready to talk about it Julia so I will be patient but I will let you know one thing. I am here to help. So, if you need my help I can keep a secret and I can help. As for your patient I released her to bed rest at home. I will send a copy of the medical notes and copies of her blood work to your office at Wyndcliff.” He leaned forward and lowered his feet to the floor folded his hands together on his desktop again and watched her pause for a moment.

“Thank you Eric but I don’t see I would need any help since you are assuming something that is impossible and merely the figment of someone’s wild imagination. Goodnight Eric.” She opened the door and went out closing it with more force than she intended. She heard Eric’s chuckle as she went with some force down the hallway to the lab.

Old House  
Barnabas Vicki’s bedroom

Barnabas pulled the covers over Vicki as she slid down in the bed and looked at him with pain etching her face. “It still hurts does it not darling?’ she nodded slowly and was still unable to speak for to do so would cause her to erupt into tears. He sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked her hair from her face. “Its not really the pains from the fall but finding out you are not pregnant?” He had spoken so softly stroking her hair back from her face and looking with love and patience into her lost gaze.

“I had hoped so desperately that I was pregnant. I don’t know why I fell, but as I lay there unconscious I remembered another time my dearest love. I remembered being with him and having his child.” She closed her eyes and let her mind go back to that period of time while she lay unconscious on the sofa and on the ride to the hospital. In that time she had lived half a lifetime.

1684  
Castle Dracula Burgos Pass Transylvania

War raged outside the castle walls, and once again she felt the hard cramp and the need for life to be born. Opening her mouth she screamed out as the pain ripped her apart and the nurse scrambled to help ease the baby out of the birth canal, with one more hard push, her hair plastered against her face and back, she pushed and screamed again. Then it happened instant relief, and the announcement. “It is a boy! The Prince has a son!” Within moments, an angry fearful cry erupted with the wail of new life. They laid the boy on her stomach after cleaning him up. She had ran her fingertips through the silky mass of dark hair that crowned his soft spot of his head. They then encouraged her to try and breast feed him. It was so awkward that mother and baby were fighting against one another. 

She felt so much love pour through her body as she held her son and looked upon the perfect tiny features that so resembled the man she knew was a the reason she was alive. The door was thrust open and he entered in his body armor covered in blood. He rushed to the bed, looked down and smiled seeing his son being nursed by his mother. Gently she edged the baby away from her teat and handed him his son. She watched him gaze at the baby in wonder and awe. “My son! We shall name him Mihnea cel Rău. He is my first heir!”

Radu entered the chamber bowed to them both. “My lord the Ottoman are breaching the first row of defense, you are needed.” Vlad had gently handed their son back to her, kissed her forehead and turned with only a backwards glance at her before he disappeared to the war that now rage with such ferocity they had moved her to a more secure location in the castle. Just as she was to lay her son down to sleep in his own cradle her life was interrupted with a sudden jerk back to her current reality. 

1968  
Old House Barnabas and Vicki’s bedroom

She shook her head she could not get that dream out of her mind. She looked up into the concern that was written across his face. Lifting her hand she cupped his cheek and smiled bravely. “You know how much I love you?” She whispered softly and turned her head to press her lips to his palm. “I love you so very much that a part of me would die if you were to go away or not return that love.” She closed her eyes and the tears began to flow. Barnabas scooped her up in his arms and cradled her close to his chest. 

“I love you too my dear sweet so very giving Victoria. You are my life, my heart and my soul. I would not wish to live. When we first met I was so attracted to you my love, you were so much of what I thought I needed in my life.” He was gently stroking her hair as he held her close to his body. “I had found someone else and wanted to recreate and image of a past life and love. How was I to know that one innocent sweet giving young woman that had such a bright and curious mind would steal my heart and take me from my original plan and become what I really needed and wanted in my life.” He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. “That was you my precious one, you whom I fell in love with and would also die if you did not return that love to me.”

Vicki laced her arms around his neck and she spoke against his shoulder, “Make love to me my dearest one, make love to me and hold me. Since I cannot sleep for a few more hours we might as well make good use of our time.“ She had spoken so softly and he gently laid her down.

“Are you sure?” He looked into her gaze and knew she wanted him to make love to her, her gaze spoke volumes and he being a good husband obeyed his wife’s desires. They spent the rest of the night locked in a romantic embrace and made love until dawn when they both fell exhausted into a deep sleep of blissful satisfaction. 

Romania Burgos Pass Castle Dracula

Vlad sat in his library awaiting the call from Sorin. He was irritated and when he got irritated someone usually paid the price. The price he had exacted from Angelique did not satisfy his need or means to feel he had been successful, so he had her taken to the dungeon where she was now chained to one of the cell walls awaiting a decision from him as to what he wanted to do to her. She had interfered not helped him with his problem. A subtle knock on the library door distracted him from his irritation. “Enter.” He commanded and he did not sound cordial or happy.

The man that entered through the door was dapper dresser, three piece suit with shiny polished black shoes. His mustache had been very carefully groomed, he carried a bowler hat and wore grey gloves and stood rather pointedly in the doorway awaiting an invitation to sit. “Yes, how may I help you?” Vlad studied the man and there was something too polished about him. He appeared to be expecting him to know who he was. His smile was fixed to be charming. “I presume I am speaking with Vlad Tepes?” 

He was still standing waiting for an invitation into the room and to a seat. “Yes and you are?” Vlad was growing increasingly annoyed with the man.

“Oh forgive me, my name is Nicholas Blair.” He bowed and stood looking at Vlad expecting him to recognize the name. When he saw that Vlad had no idea of who he was he smiled again and there was something about that smile that was as annoying as the man that stood before him.

Vlad sighed and looked to the window then back to the man. “Please enter and have a seat and explain what you want and why you think I should know who you are.” He watched Nicholas enter and with deliberate ease take off his gloves and lay them in his hat on the nearest table. Walking with casual ease into the room he almost with deliberate calculated movement sat on the chair and crossed his right knee over his left and allowed himself to become more comfortable. 

“You must forgive me, I came here because I was sent by my master. It appears you have my sister as a guest here. Angelique Bouchard?” He smiled and began to turn the black onyx ring on his pinky finger and watched the dawning realization come across Vlad’s face. 

“Ahh, I see Diablos sent you because I am unhappy with her work?” Vlad took a seat and now he had to wonder what he would do with a male with and a female witch under his roof. “Are you aware she deviated from what I asked of her? I am sure that Diablos has told you of my disappointment with the work she has done so far.” Vlad wanted this interview over and the phone call from Sorin so he could tell him of a change of plans. 

“I believe that is why he sent me to make sure she followed your plans to the letter. He is aware of her personal interest in the particular subject matter that had taken your interest. We know that Angelique has a gift but we are aware that sometimes she sets her own agenda and for that she has been repeatedly punished. I have been sent to make sure she keeps to the script that you have written and provide the service that you have requested from Diablos.” He has been so precise and self-assured of his intentions that he had not paid attention to the body language of Vlad Tepes. Which had grown increasingly defensive.

With a clipped tone of annoyance Vlad spoke “Are you aware she nearly undid all the plans I had placed into play? She went against my wishes and now she is in the dungeon chained to a wall while I decide what I plan to do with her.” He watched Nicholas slid forward on his chair and with a look of apology he laughed uncomfortably.

“I can assure you that we take these types of complaints seriously Prince Vlad, that is why I was sent. May I see my sister and at least try to see if I can make her see the light of your wisdom?” He was pouring on the charm to smooth over an already volatile situation. 

Vlad played with the pen on his desk, running his fingers to flip the pen end over end as he considered Nicholas’ request. “Perhaps I should give you an adjoining cell so I can let Diablos know how seriously upset I am over what she has done. You Mr. Blair I don’t like. You are too full of your self and your abilities when I am the Prince of this castle and you all should bow down to my wishes. However as I am a benevolent Prince, I shall allow you to go and speak with your ‘sister’ and if you can make her see the error of her ways we may be able to renegotiate our terms.” 

Nicholas stood and bowed. “I thank you for your open mind and allowing me a chance to redeem our services on behalf of our master.” Walking to the table where he laid his hat he waited as the Prince pulled the chord by his desk and the male servant that had escorted him to the room now reappeared. 

“Take him to the dungeon to see his sister, then prepare him a room for him. We have a new guest.” The servant bowed and turned expecting Nicholas to follow him. Vlad watched him leave the room and looked at the clock in another hour Sorin would call him and he would tell him of his change in plans. He had already put much of his plans into affect and it would be beneficial for Sorin to know what he intended. He sat back and thought about how he had come up with this plan and how it seemed fitting that he would move his plan of operations with all his contacts to the United States but allow Collins to think that he was still operating out of Romania. 

Sitting back he closed his eyes and smiled. This plan had come to him after he had grown angry with Angelique. It had come to him so clearly and that was when he began all the phone calls he needed to make. There had been a transfer of funds and a flurry of activity to see the fruition of his plan. It was too good and so very appropriate from his perspective. Sitting back he looked down at the top of his desk and smiled, he was looking at his new home that would be occupied soon by him and all his staff. He just had to make sure that Sorin had everything in place on his end before he moved in mass to Mount Desert Island. 

He looked at the location and then the location of Collinsport and smiled. So far but so close am I not right Barnabas Collins? We will do battle but on my terms and on my grounds.” He sat back and chuckled at the plan he had just hatched. He was about to bring the taste of old world vengeance to the new world of the Americas. He would have his Elizabeta at his side and he would rule from his new castle he had just purchased. He would give her another month with her husband Barnabas and then he would make his move one loved one at a time leading a trail to here to this castle when in fact he would have them at his new home on Mount Desert Island, Maine in his castle. His plan was so perfect he was amazed at how well it fell into his own plans to get back what he wanted.

Absently, he played with his pen on the desktop and then growing bored he decided to go to the dungeon to check on both his guests and to see if Nicholas had been successful in altering Angelique’s views. Standing he walked to the window and looked out over the bleak and dreary existence that had been his to command for over four hundred years. He was back on his game now he had time to heal and plot. Now it was time to execute on one decision and he had made it. If Angelique would cooperate he would allow them to join him on his journey to the new world and his new life with his beloved Elizabeta.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Castle Dracula Transylvania Romania

Nicholas followed the guard down a series of stairs to a dark and damp area that they affectionately called the dungeon. Walking quickly to the room indicated he stepped into the room and let his eyes glide over the room to land on the figure now chained to a wall, sitting on a small bunk bed shivering under a threadbare blanket. "Well, well, well, what have we hear my dear Angelique? It seems you have managed to upset the Prince and now he seems to think your head would look good decorating a pike at the front of his castle. Let me guess you had to meddle didn't you?"

Angelique was glad to see him but she was also annoyed that he had to find her in this condition under these circumstances, there last meeting earlier had been under a different set of circumstances and she had lorded her position over him while she paced the opulent surroundings of her bedroom. Now she shivered and wanted nothing more than to be allowed back to that room in the warmth of her bed. "I don't know what you are talking about, he walked in on me while I was casting a spell and he got upset."

"And whom, might I ask was the spell being cast over?" Nicholas thought the Count had seemed somewhat upset but also very distracted, he did not remember meeting him earlier in the week. He had declined the offer of a room and had taken more modest quarters in the village. He had thought perhaps she had tried to sway the count with her powers and he discovered what she was doing, which would account for him being so distracted.

"I was setting a dream spell on Vicki, that bitch. She was responding very well to it too and I almost succeeded in her falling down the stairs, the difference was she did not break her neck." Angelique looked very put out. She folded her arms over her chest shifted her leg and the clink of the shackle could be heard under the blanket and gown. She watched Nicholas roll his eyes and mutter under his breath something unintelligible. "What are you nattering on about now?" She huffed softly glaring up at Nicholas.

"You really don't get it do you Angelique?" He stepped to the bunk and sat down next to her. "You tried to kill the woman he believes is his deceased wife reincarnated. The woman he had fought a thousand wars and would wait a thousand years to be with and you tried to kill her and you can't understand why you are now chained to this wall in these deplorable conditions? I really thought you had more intelligence than that. Has that jealous rage of yours unsettled your mind as much as that count has gotten himself distracted over the very same woman we plan to give him, nice and neatly tied up and delivered to his doorstep?"

Angelique sighed softly looked down and was more than a little contrite when she muttered. "She is married to my husband, she may be pregnant by him and you expect me to be reasonable?" She shifted and began to pout huddled against the rough stonewall of her prison cell.

Nicholas was very put out, she had nearly caused a huge rift between Diablos and Dracula. Walking to the center of the room, he began to work his thumb and index finger over the onyx pinky ring he wore. "No, I expect you to understand how close you have come to being beheaded and having your head placed on the castle wall to allow the birds to pluck out your eyes and if you think that Diablos would save you from that, you have better re-evaluate your own standing with him. This is an important alliance he hopes to make with the oldest vampire on this earth. "

"Nicholas, I am willing to continue this charade that Victoria is his deceased wife and giving her the memories through those prior spells and having her react is starting to bore me. I don't like her and had I been smart I would have killed her myself when she was at Collinwood in 1796. That would have taken care of all this nonsense of her and Barnabas being married and happily planning a family!" Angelique was now sounding more like the spurned lover she was and it was nauseatingly annoying to Nicholas.

"Here is the situation Angelique and you had better consider your next moves very carefully because right now I am the only friend you have in this situation. Diablos is very upset with you that is why I was sent to begin with. He knows you too well my dear. Only too well to know what you might do and he is not happy."

He watched her duck her chin and then sigh. "Very well you may plead my position to the count and tell him, I am very apologetic for all the things he thinks I have done and will be ready to cooperate as long as I get to see Barnabas returned to as he was." She glared over at Nicholas noting his satisfied smile of victory. "YOU don't need to look so smug Nicholas. I want out of here and will do about anything to be put back in my old room here."

Nicholas bowed to her and chuckled softly, "You know Angelique you get so much more with a little bit of honey that you ever did with the sting of the bee, now I will go see what I can do. He has offered me a room here and perhaps this time I shall accept his hospitality. Until then you might do well to remember whom you are dealing with and why we are here. If you don't think Diablos knows what is always going on with both of us, you had better re-evaluate that opinion because right now he is totally focused on us and the success of this mission."

Nicholas brushed his pants off turned and paused, "Angelique, I mean for you to think very hard and very long on what you plan to do when you come face to face with Vicki Winters Collins. You might wish to do well to know he will behead you and that I can assure you is very uncomfortable. You might think you can be resurrected but if you upset our master, then you will not come back nor will you be able to ever see your precious Barnabas again." He walked out of the cell and the guard closed the door with an echoing vibration down the hallway.

Old House

Barnabas and Vicki's bedroom

Daphne stood by Vicki's bed smiling. "Well we got you in bed all nice and comfy. Barnabas has put Quentin in Jeremiah's old room and I am in Millicent's old room. If you need anything, send Barnabas to get me. What you need to do is rest. I know you will feel like going to sleep but you need to stay awake a little longer." She patted Vicki's shoulder and turned to check the fire, seeing it was dying down, she walked over to the fireplace removed the screen and grabbed the poker. Stabbing the fire she smiled watching the flames lick up the in the bowl of the fire area. She watched sending the tiny embers burn out as they drifted in their little dying dance up the flue.

Turning she laid the poker back in its rack, replaced the screen and turned with a bright smile. "now that should warm up the room soon enough and from the sounds of the wind out there, we probably have another nor'easter blowing in from Canada. Now before I go do you need anything?" She walked back to the side of the huge four poster bed and looked down at the pale features of the tragic looking figure that had become a good friend to her.

"No, I am fine, I guess I am a bit deflated to find out I am not pregnant. I was so hoping I was. I wanted Barnabas to be happy that we were going to start our family and feel the joy of a little life as it grew in me." She sighed and played with the satin ribbon on the blanket. "I suppose you were right earlier, we can try again, perhaps I am too anxious to have a child and it is not the right time." She could not help the sting of tears that made her eyes over bright. "I just had such hopes!" She bit her bottom lip. I suppose I could read, would you bring me the book on the dressing room table?"

Daphne bent over and gently hugged her dear friend, "It will happen honey, I know it will. Sometimes when couples quit trying so hard they do get pregnant and I am sure that is the case for you and Barnabas." Rising she walked to the dressing room found the book she wanted and returned to the bed handing it over to Vicki. "Now you can go to sleep in three hours, but don't over exert yourself, if your eyes do not focus or you get a headache, send Barnabas for me right away." She smiled walked to the door paused pivoted and looked at the lonely sad figure in the huge bed and she almost seemed lost in the vastness of the bed. Daphne offered her friend one more encouraging smile and nodded to her, turned and left the room.

Vicki gave into the disappointment. The tears were flowing down her cheeks and she rolled into her pillow and cried her disappointment into her pillow. Purging herself of the disappointment and taking one final last sniff she rolled onto her back and then sat up in bed, her eyes wide and her heart beating fast in her chest. "You know Princess you should not be so upset. When you are reunited with your Prince, you will have his children and you will live an eternity with him." Radu sat on the edge of her bed. He gently stroked her hair from her tear soaked face and looked deeply into her eyes and saw a soul so pure and untouched he was amazed at the feelings that one look evoked in him.

"How, did you get in here? Who are you and why are you tormenting me?" Vicki gasped out those three questions as she drug her blanket up to her chin to glare in defiance at Radu. "You sir, have no right to sit on my bed or be in my bedroom." He watched the slow subtle smile etch its way across his face while he continued to enjoy the satin feel of her hair between his fingers. Tracing a finger over her cheekbones he captured one single teardrop and pulled it up on his fingertip looking at the tear with fascination. He had ignored the fact she flinched when he touched her.

"You know, back when I was there for the birth of your first son, I saw you in pain, in happiness and in love. Never have I seen you cry. I wondered if at the time of your death if you cried. I wondered when those Turks had sent that message flying through your window to announce the death of your Prince if you cried. I have heard many women cry, but just now watching you purge your grief into your pillow it was for me a new experience. One I shall keep with me for the rest of my life."

He slid from the bed hearing voices outside the door. "Now, if you wish to keep your friends healthy, and your husband unharmed, I would not tell anyone I was here. I shall be back to tell you what your part will be in this newest device of my dear Prince Vlad." He put his index finger to his lips, smiled, wink and disappeared into the shadows. She watched with complete and absolute fear filling her very being as he just disappeared into the shadows.

"What is he? Who is he? What did he mean?" These were but a few of the questions she had about the mysterious man in her room just now. Sliding up in her bed, she clutched her book and looked to the door waiting to see if Barnabas would join her shortly. The door opened but it was her mother entering the room with her father.

"Victoria darling. I am so happy it was nothing more than bruises and contusions and a mild concussion. You had me worried and you missed your Thanksgiving Day meal. I had Mrs. Cook put a plate for you in the refrigerator and she promises me you can have it for lunch." Elizabeth sat on the edge of the bed where Radu had just sat. George walked to the bed and placed a hand of comfort on Liz's shoulder and smiled down at his daughter.

"Baby, Daddy is here if you need anything. You know how important you are to me?" He stepped around Liz, bent down, and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "What I want is for you to get better soon. I am looking forward going Christmas shopping with you. We have a present to pick out for someone special." He turned to wink at Elizabeth who blushed and chuckled.

"If that is the case, then she has to come with me to pick out a gift for someone special to me too." They appeared to be jockeying for her attention and time to help each other pick out a gift for one another. Vicki smiled and nodded. "I promised Julia and Daphne that we would not stay long we just wanted to make sure you were okay. Most the family is down stairs and they want their turns to come up to make sure you are not on death's door. So, for now as parents we got first peak." He kissed her forehead again and stepped back to let Liz kiss her cheek.

"I am down the hall in Naomi's room my dearest one. George is in Joshua's room and if you need us you just send Barnabas to come get us." Liz stood bent and gently hugged her daughter one more time. "I love you." She whispered softly in her ear. Stepping back she turned with George and they walked to the door with one last backwards glance. Exiting out the door Vicki felt exhausted.

"You handled that very well my dear Princess. Just remember we are everywhere and we can take your family and end their lives anytime we wish. You will learn more of what is going on when there are not so many around." Radu had stepped back into view. Vicki studied the man with the aristocratic nose, the wide dark eyes, the shock of dark hair that brushed over his forehead. His body was small built but compact and very muscled. He held an unspoken air of command about himself and he studied her with a knowing smile and a narrowing of his eyes. "Just remember if you say anything about my being here, someone will die." Once again he drifted back into the shadows and disappeared.

Vicki felt her mind swim with an abundant amount of fears, questions and finally resignation that something was about to happen and she obviously had no control over what was unfolding behind her back. Slowly, she got out of bed, placing her feet firmly and flat on the floor, getting her balance she walked and staggered the last place she saw him, this strange man that seemed to be plaguing her in her home and her parents' home. Walking to the last spot he disappeared she held her hands out looking to see if he was just hiding in the darkest recesses of the shadows in the room. There was nothing there.

Turning she sat heavily into the chair. Closing her eyes she sighed deeply. "I must be imagining this?" Lifting her palm to her face, she rested her elbow on the chair she sat in and closed her eyes. She felt a hand curl over her shoulder and she smiled, covering the hand with hers she spoke softly. "I love you so much."

"That is really sweet of you to say Princess. I have always loved you. You were the epitome of what I wanted and always hoped I would have once the wars were over." Radu was behind her again. His fingers curled cruelly into her shoulder and she winced. "I just wanted you to know I am not a figment of that over active imagination I really am here and I am watching you and that loving family of yours." As quickly as the pressure was there it was gone from her shoulder. The door opened and Penny, Jason, Thomas walked into the room. The boys were the first to come over and squat down next to her.

"You know now that you are our sis, we gotta watch out for you and we have to pester you unmercifully. It is our inherit right to be pestering brothers and make your life miserable or uncomfortable." That was Thomas. He leaned forward to hug her and then kiss her cheek. "You belong to us now and we can torment you and make your life an unending hell if we choose to do so."

Jason stooped down on the other side. "Did Penny ever tell you about the yuk?" He winked at Penny who had started to giggle and slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.'

"Oh my goodness no! Jason not the Yuk!" She had removed her hands and watched helpless as Jason bent in close to Vicki's other check and pretended her was going to kiss her and instead he licked her cheek from the bottom of her neckline to her eye.

"Eww salt, you been cryin' sis? No need now I just Yukked ya." He chuckled as he watched her smile and wipe his yuk from her face.

Vicki blushed and shook her head. "I am not so sure I am ready to be your sister Jason, if I have to be given a tongue bath by my little brother!" She chuckled softly, and then gently stroked his face with her fingertips. "But for making me smile, I give you a reprieve and another chance."

"Oh good I am so glad I have been given a reprieve!" He looked at Penny, "You better not tell her about the other rituals we have for tormenting you squirt or I will double up on them." He stood up followed by Thomas and they stepped back to allow Penny a chance to sit with her sis.

"You guys can go, send in Carolyn, I am sure she would want to see Vicki too." She wagged a finger at them both. "I would be on my best behavior if I were you, we might have to plot together to get back at you both."

The door burst open and David came bounding into the room, the look of concern and fear was written on his face as he looked the room over saw Vicki and made a beeline right for her to throw himself against her chest and hug her tightly. "You did not die! I thought you might have broken your neck! I did not want you to die Vicki honest. I got you as a cousin and now I don't want to loose you!" He held tightly to her. "Father says I can stay in my room tonight to be close to you."

Vicki smiled and gently brushed his hair from his eyes and peered into the concern that edge his eyes. "I am not dead, don't plan on dying and I did not break my neck. I just will be black and blue and I have a concussion and I cannot go to sleep for a few more hours. I am very happy you will be close by my dear cousin David." She leaned forward and lightly kissed his forehead.

He slid his chin up and smiled, "I love you Vicki! I love you very much. Good night." He pushed back and was gone before Thomas and Jason could exit the room. When they got to the door, Carolyn was there watching David dash down the hallway to his room.

"Well goodnight to you too David." She called and chuckled and walked past Thomas and Jason into the room. "So where is the little drama queen?" She had been chuckling and that took the sting out of any harshness that might have been perceived by Vicki as a derogatory comment made against Vicki. Walking to Vicki's side she slumped down on the footstool at her feet and lifted her feet and began to gently massage her feet. "So Julia said you were not pregnant. That you took it really hard?" She continued to gently massage her feet and looked with sympathy to Vicki then to Penny who looked down knowing how much it had meant to Vicki. Penny and Vicki had talked about her possibility of being pregnant and how she would take Sarah's old nursery and turn it into her nursery.

Vicki felt the thickness fill her throat and she nodded. Looking down she let out a shaky breath. "I guess I have been so stressed and I am late I thought perhaps it was because I was pregnant. I suppose that was hopeful thinking."

Carolyn the practical one spoke softly, "You can keep trying, I hear it's a lot of fun to just keep on trying. I just hope Cousin Barnabas has the stamina to keep up with you." She giggled that annoying giggle. Most would have found Carolyn's statement crass and unfeeling to the predicament Vicki had just found herself in.

Vicki knew her sister well enough to know she did not think before she spoke. "I am sure he could wear me out before I wear him out. "She spoke confidentially with sisterly heartfelt feelings to her sisters. She even managed to blush as she thought about the marathon love making sessions they had paced themselves through during their honeymoon and it had continued when they got home.

This caused Carolyn to laugh, "Well there you have it. You two just need more practice and I bet you will be preggers in no time sis!" She finished massaging her feet, stood up and stretched. "I am going to the Blue Whale they are opening late so that those of us that still want to dance and party can go and have some fun, you coming Penny?" She bent and kissed Vicki's cheek. "Maybe I will meet my Mr. Right there tonight!" She stood and looked at Penny.

Penny leaned over and kissed Vicki's cheek. "Well I better go and make sure the Mr. Right she finds does not manage to put our not so innocent Carolyn in the mother way." She laughed and shook her finger at Vicki. "You rest! We will see you tomorrow my sweet big sis!" They both left the room and Vicki closed her eyes and sighed and waited for Radu to show again but the door opened and Maggie and Joe came into the room.

"Hey, I heard you were doing acrobatics off the landing of the Collinwood main staircase, I heard that it was Stairs 1 Vicki 0." Joe chuckled and walked over to look down at the dark circles under her eyes. She managed a weak smile for him and watched Maggie punch his arm.

"Hey now that was not very nice!" She admonished him, turned with a sweet smile for Vicki. "We just wanted to see if you needed anything to and to let you know we will be at Collinwood while it seems most the family will be here." Maggie slumped down on the footstool that Carolyn had just vacated and she leaned forward and took her hand. "So, you let us know and we will be right here."

Vicki accepted another round of kisses and closed her eyes. She heard the door opened and the soft footfalls of her husband as he approached her. "My dearest one. Should you not be in bed?" He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to their bed. She looked into his eyes and smiled.

"I would rather be in bed with my husband. Make love to me Barnabas, make love to me all night long and don't let me go." She whispered against his neck as he laid her on the bed. He looked into her eyes and smiled. Capturing her lips he kissed her deeply and passionately.

"If that is my wife's wish who am I to deny her request." He whispered against her lips.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The soft rays of the morning sun broke through the clouds and streamed through the window to shower its radiance down on Vicki while she slept, curling into Barnabas pillow, she realized her husband was no longer sharing their bed. Pushing her hair from her face, she sat up, stretched and looked around the room and noticed that it was only eight o'clock. Flopping back on her pillow she closed her eyes and wanted to go back to sleep, she was still tired. Finding no way to relax her mind she moaned inwardly, threw the blankets off her body, turned and slid her feet to the floor. Standing she walked to her bathroom and turned the shower taps on, watching the spray of water soak the side of the shower.

Making quick work of her morning ablutions, she dressed quickly and walked into her bedroom to see Mrs. Lewis was making her bed. "Good morning Mrs. Vicki, Mr. Barnabas said to tell you he was going to Collinwood, your mother and father left earlier and Mr. Loomis is taking his girlfriend Maria home. I was told to let you know when you were ready for breakfast to let Cook know. She has been in the kitchen most the morning." Vicki watched her snap the end of the blanket and sheet into the tuck at the end of the bed, The overall affect was a military style corner.

"Thank you Mrs. Lewis. I hope you had a good Thanksgiving." Vicki walked to her dresser pulling the hairbrush from the top and began to brush her hair, using care over the area that she had hurt the night before. Grimacing as she felt the bristles of the brush glide over her hurt area she sighed softly. She finished brushing her hair, turned to bring a ribbon around her head and tie her hair into place. Stepping past the dirty linens Mrs. Lewis had pitched on the floor, she walked to the servant's stairs to the rear of the house. Carefully, Vicki walked down the stairs entering into the kitchen and to the smell of coffee and fresh baked bread filling the air. "That smells wonderful Cook, do you think I could get a cup of coffee and have a slice of that bread?"

Cook turned and her eyes brightened, "Oh Miss Vicki, I am so glad you are up. Here let me fix you something special, now you come over here and you sit right down and don't move. You just let me take care of you this morning. How is your head feeling?" Cook bustled about pulling out a skillet, opening the refrigerator door and pulling out the bacon and eggs. "Now Miss Daphne said you were to be fed good and then to tell you that they would be back, she just wanted to go back to Collinwood and pick up some clean clothing. Her and Mr. Quentin said they would be staying tonight, seems the weatherman has said we are in for another strong night of storms and a cold front coming in from Canada."

Vicki frowned; she had not known there was another nasty system blowing in from Canada, which would mean either ice or snow. Sitting gingerly on the bar stool she settled back and let Mrs. Cook spoil her. "Mrs. Cook did they say when the system would be arriving?" Vicki nibbled on her food looking to the window and then back to Mrs. Cook.

"Later this evening. I heard it has strong winds, and ice mixed in with it. So, it won't be a fit night for anyone to be out in the bad weather, that is why Mrs. Lewis, Harold and I are staying in the servant's quarters tonight. I believe Harold went down to make sure the generator was clean and ready for use if we loose power tonight. Vicki nodded slowly and found that was unsettling to her equilibrium.

"I think I am going to take a short walk to the beach, I won't be out long, I just need to get out of the house and I think some fresh air will make me feel better." Vicki was glad she had dressed in her jeans, and turtle neck. She could take a leisurely walk to the stables check on her horse, then walk to widow's hill and then on to the beach. Last night had been unsettling enough for her. That strange man who claimed to have been sent by the mad man Vlad was upsetting. Walking to the hall closet she pulled out her heavy down filled coat, sliding it on she exited through the kitchen door while Mrs. Cook was in the pantry. Closing the door softly behind her, she pulled her hood up and stepped towards the path that would lead her to the stables.

Mount Dessert Island

Castle Lochia

Vlad walked through the large halls, though this was a poor substitute for his own Castles in Romania, it was comfortable and he was making arrangements for his soon to arrive guests to be comfortable. Radu stood next to his Prince and studied his reaction to his new location and his reaction to the downgrade he had to accept to be in the United States near his Elizabeta. "Have you made arrangements to bring the mother here soon?" Vlad walked on down the hallway and smiled noting his furnishings were fitting in nicely to the newly purchased castle.

"I have my lord, we will bring your first guest to you tonight, although I might suggest a different order of encouraging them to join you here." Radu paused when Vlad paused and walked one step behind him when he continued down the hallway. Vlad paused and pivoted on the balls of his feet directing that look to his Captain of his guard.

"Oh and how is that?" He locked his hands behind him waiting for Radu to continue with his thoughts.

"I would suggest we bring Lady Carolyn first, this will upset and throw off balance the mother, then we bring Lady Margaret and finally we bring Lady Daphne." Radu stepped around Vlad walked to the wall and leaned against it. He studied Vlad who appeared to be thinking about his suggestion. "I say we do as we did in that last conflict we had, we create mass confusion, then with the confusion we strip away their defenses and leave them wondering what happened, the difference here is we don't leave a trail of heads on pikes, it seems this country frowns on that." Radu sounded disappointed.

Vlad turned and began to walk down the hallway stopped before the last door at the end of the hallway, opening the door he stepped inside and looked around, The room was large, airy, and held a four poster bed with a canopy that draped over the four posts, a window seat graced the huge window, there was a large dressing room, bathing chambers, and a lovely setting of two chairs with foot rests before a cheerfully burning fire. Against one wall, was a large vanity with a stool, silver brushes, combs and various bottles of beauty supplies graced the crystal containers. Vlad fingered each one looking thoughtful. "These were all her things when we were last together. I have the whole room, as it was before she . . . " His words had grown soft and distant while he remembered their last moments together.

1642

Transylvania

"Why my love! Why? Can you not just stay here?" She clung to him, her eyes growing over bright. "Let Radu and your men fight this battle! You need to stay here with me, our son, do not leave me. I have a horrible feeling you won't return." Reaching forward she grabbed him to hold him close to her and began to weep into his shoulder. He pushed her back, cupped her face in his gloved hand.

"My love, you must understand, the troops need me to be present for them. I will be back before you know it, you must understand when I am there the men fight harder and it demoralizes the enemy." He kissed her deeply feeling her tremble in his hold and cling to him for dear life, when he broke their kiss he sought the look in her eyes and saw the fear and anxiety that laid below the surface of her now calm, which was a façade. Reluctantly she broke apart from him, folded her arms over her chest and walked to the open window to look out over the battle fileds that were now lined for miles with bodies impaled and on pikes. Dropping her eyes she sighed deeply, looked away and realized he was gone.

He had watched her look upon the canvas of his art and was not happy but a part of him had to harden at her pleas and do the job he had been born to do, he had taken that lost stricken look with him when he left that day and went to war, it was not until a few days later he got word she had died. He had ridden all-night and walked in to see her broken body lying at the base of the alter to their church. Then there were the priests denying her the dignity of her right to be laid to rest on holy ground.

Present Day

Castle Lochia

Vlad turned and looked to the open doorway seeing Radu leaning against the doorframe. "I believe with all my heart my dear Prince that once she is with you and in these surroundings she will be back as she was. She will love you. I have heard and seen her when she is as Elizabeta, she is all and more she was before."

Vlad smiled, "We can hope, so you really believe this is the way we should begin our reign of terror on the Collins family?" He walked to the chair by the fireplace and sat in the chair and studied the fire as it crackled cheerfully in the fireplace.

Radu stepped into the room. "Yes, once the sister is gone, the mother will be upset and unprepared for anything other than news on her daughter, she will need Elizabeta to calm her and be by her side. Then we take Lady Margaret and again the house will begin to feel the pressure of our presence. Finally, we take the mother and the nurse Daphne and you will have Elizabeta compliant and wishing to save her mother, sister and two friends. That is when you put your other plan into play."

Vlad sat silent watching the fire, "I say bring the mother and the sister, loosing both they will be thinking I am coming for Elizabeta, when they are closing ranks around her, you and Sorin will bring me Lady Margaret and Lady Daphne. Then, and only then will Elizabeta be more pliable and ready to do as I ask." Vlad bridged his fingertips together and studied the fire lost in thought. "The castle will be complete in another week, then we will begin our plan." Vlad stood up turned and walked from the room. "I also need Sorin to come and have a little talk with the witch. She has been practicing her craft against what I have requested. She needs to feel the touch of Sorin's dark magic to be reminded who is really in charge."

Radu frowned, "Really, you do know she fell down the steps last night and nearly broke her neck?" Radu stepped forward to look at the fire with Vlad. "She was not feeling right earlier, and went up to lay down, that is when she was speaking our language asking for you my Prince, then she slept and when she awoke, Collins escorted her to the stairs and from what I have gathered she fainted and fell headlong down those stairs to land on the bottom. She was treated at the hospital and released with a concussion. The doctor said she was very lucky to not have broken her back or neck. She did discover she was not pregnant."

Vlad's face clouded with anger with every word that Radu spoke, standing abruptly he paced to the center of the floor and growled low. "Make sure Sorin sees me tonight. I want him here in this palace tonight. I think our witch needs a proper lesson. She was not hurt more than a concussion correct?" He turned pinning his gaze on Radu.

Radu had only seen that look one other time, and it was after he discovered his brother had betrayed him. It was a look Radu never wanted directed at him because of something he had done wrong. There were two looks Vlad held for people that would receive his worse judgment. The first look was the one he witnessed the day his brother betrayed him; the second look was the day the priests denied his wife burial in consecrated ground. Both those looks had caused life-altering experiences for all of them. Now Radu noted his Prince held the one he had reserved for his brother and his betrayal and Radu did not wish or want to be Angelique Bouchard at this time.

Radu stood his ground looked to the floor and spoke softly. "I was watching her that day my lord. She had become ill, very suddenly, she had complained of a horrible headache." Vlad recalled there was a pin stuck to the head of the clay doll he had taken from the witch.

Vlad spoke softly, "Go on."

"Then she slept after Dr. Hoffman hypnotized her to help her with the pain in her head, she began to speak in the old language and she was calling out for you. Then the doctor forced her to suppress those memories." He watched that glower that was one of irritation knowing full well what he thought of Dr. Julia Hoffman Stokes. When dinner was ready to be served, Collins came to collect her for the family gathering and my lord she looked extremely tired and somewhat disturbed by a dream she had. I followed them until they got to the top landing, Collins instructed her to go on down because she had forgotten her bracelet, one she treasures and wears all the time, when he turned, I watched from overhead and she appeared to grow weak and then fainted as she began to move down the stairs."

Vlad slammed his fist into the wall cracking the stone edifice that held up an arch. He showed no signs of suffering any pain from an display of anger. "The witch was chanting a spell when I entered her room, she tried to hide the effigy she had created out of clay. It had one of Elizabeta's ribbons and some of her hair pressed into the scalp area of the doll. When I confronted her she said she was casting a spell to secure her for me, what she was doing was trying to kill her because she is married to Collins." Vlad let out a deep long held forced breath, though his body did not require for him to breathe he did practice the movement to release the stress and calm him in times of anger or need. It had helped him tremendously on other occasions to do such a thing.

"My lord I was with her upon her return from the hospital late last night, I watched her interaction with her two half sisters, her friends, her parents. She is very attached to them all, you could control whatever you wish of her just by holding them and using them as a way to manipulate her. She will is so giving and selfless that she would do anything for those she loves including Collins." He watched Vlad look out the window. He was seeing into a distant past when he was with his Elizabeta and he had found his love was complete in her arms.

"She will forget Collins, I will give Collins to Gilda, she can play with him for a while, I do not want him brought over until he sees Elizabeta is as he was and then I want him to not care any more, I want him to see how happy she is with me and to know that is whom should hold her heart and her life form now until the end of time." Vlad's passion was becoming more pronounced with each word he had spoken. "She will remember our love and not with the help of the witch. I am thinking the witch has overstayed her time and it is time to send her back piece by piece to Diablos."

Radu continued to watch his Prince. "I will send Sorin to you my lord and we shall begin to implement your plans. Have you already spoken with Collins?" Radu shifted his weight and continued to watch his dark lord and master. He saw a different side of him while he had withdrawn into himself when he was contemplating his next move, he had never had to worry about betrayal in his own camp except from his brother, he made sure he had never allowed himself to be put in that position again. That was why he had hand picked all his close guards and assassins. Radu was afraid of no one except Sorin and when Vlad had brought Sorin into the family Radu had to reassess his actions around Sorin and Vlad. Radu had known that Sorin had become the closest confidant of Vlad and Radu had stepped aside not interfering.

1697

Back Streets of Medias

Vlad watched the handsome young man follow the traveler into the streets hugging the walls, and following him down the darkened streets, pausing when the traveler paused, pushing off from the wall, the traveler appearing to be well into his cups continued down the darkened streets, and the young man blended and shifted into the shadows following. Finally, the traveler stopped undid his pants and began to relieve his self, farting and belching with his drink. From behind before he was finished and could shake off, the shadowy figure took him by his throat. Before he hit the ground he was dead. Vlad smiled and could smell the fresh blood flowing from the dead man's body. "You were careless young one." Vlad spoke from the shadows and saw him spin around with his blade handy and ready to attack.

Yet, there was no one there for the young handsome man to see. "What was his trespass that could cost him such a high price to be paid?" He watched the young handsome man shift from foot to foot, holding the knife forward, with the taunting Vlad had given him he had not spoken one word in defense or curiosity. "What is wrong young one has someone taken your tongue?" Vlad finally materialized from a swirling mass of fog to make his presence known. The young one smiled, shifted the blade to his other hand, and positioned him self to defend.

Vlad had held out his hand and with his will compelled the young assassin to him. Sorin had no idea whom he had come up against but he was far from wishing to challenge this powerful dark art one. "Speak to me if you have the mans, tell me what he has done that you take his life while he was under my auspices?" Vlad's eyes had glowed with an eerie red then bluish tint.

"Was he one of yours?" The voice was deep and he was a mature but young buck that was just starting out on his trade, Sorin continued to watch the man in front of him with the compelling bluish tinted eyes.

"He was a visitor in my town, my country what did he do to deserve death?" Vlad spoke softly continuing to watch the young brash man before him.

"My business with him is between us. Why do you care that another problem was eliminated. You should not worry that a rapist and fornicator of children was taken from this earth." He had spoken with such venom that it made Vlad chuckle.

"I see and whose child did he fornicate with?" Vlad wanted the facts before he passed his own brand of judgment on this young cocky male.

"My sister is but twelve years, and he took her, he had his way with her and then he broke her neck and she lies in the ground without having known life, so why not take his life." Sorin had finally shown his true emotions and oddly enough this made Vlad smile.

"Then the judgment was just, come, we have business to discuss, my men will clean up your mess." Vlad turned and waited for him to fall into step next to him. Radu had been summoned to dispose of the body and to show Sorin a room in the castle. From that day forward, Sorin and Vlad practiced with the dark arts and when Vlad needed someone eliminated Sorin was dispatched.

Present Day

Castle Lochia

"Radu, before we make any further plans, I need you and Sorin here. For now he must 'deal' with the witch, I will kill her if I met out my justice to her especially after what I have learned from you. I know currently Sorin is working on his plans for Doctor Hoffman. However, he had delay that for a short time and come here to deal with Angelique, she has also brought along her brother who annoys me. I think they both have their own hidden agendas and I will not tolerate my own plans being put at risk because she cannot control her feelings for Collins."

Radu bowed, "As my Prince desires, I shall go now and inform Sorin that you require his presence here. Have you brought the witch here?" Radu stood and waited for Vlad to respond.

"She will arrive with that obnoxious brother of hers tomorrow, I do wish to speak with Sorin tonight, I want him to do something special for me. You are dismissed my faithful servant and captain. Do not disappointment and do remind Gilda I am here now and if she misbehaves she may not like my punishment."

For the first time since he had arrived and was given Gilda as his charge to hear that Vlad was following her actions made Radu finally relax. "Consider your wishes done and thank you my lord. I take your leave now." Radu stepped back shifted to mist form and disappeared from the room. Vlad watched him for a moment then turned and peered up at the painting that graced the fireplace. He smiled looking into the storm tossed colored eyes of the raven haired beauty that smiled beguilingly down at him.

"My love, soon. You will be here and we shall share our lives together until you are ready to be brought over and then we shall share an eternity together." He reached for a pure white rose and kissed it then laid it on the mantle beneath her picture. "We shall have our lives and together she shall begin a new family, one that will be with us for now and forever." The words he spoke to the portrait were said with softness to his passion. "I love you Elizabeta, I love you so much that I did cross many barriers through time to find you. Time was not my enemy this sequence of my life, it was time that brought me to you. I would have fought a million battles suffered a thousand wounds to hold you in my arms one more time."

He thought back to the first night he saw her. He had come looking for Barnabas and imagine his shock that the one person that came to the door that night so long ago was his Elizabeta. He had felt his world shatter and rebuilding in one moment when she looked up into his eyes and smiled seeing him there. It was his Elizabeta and he knew she belonged to him no matter the claim that Collins has placed on her. She would be his again and of that he made him self a promise, he would make sure Collins knew what it felt like to loose something you love more than life itself.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Collinwood Beach

The angry skies above were at war with the sea below. The whitecaps fought with the wind and the waves rolled with a ferocity to the shore. Vicki walked along the beach watching her footsteps disappear with each wash of the waves. Folding her arms over her chest she hugged the warmth of her body. The sting of the salty sea lay its briny kiss upon her lips and washed her face with an occasional splash of the ocean. Her thoughts were lost to her moment of sadness at finding out she was not pregnant. She had built her hopes high that she would be able to give Barnabas a child. Watching a bit of flotsam on the waves she saw how valiantly it fought to stay afloat in the storm tossed seas. Something in her compelled her to hope that it made its way to the shore and not sink. A rather large swell rose over the piece of wood and swamped it taking it down under the white frothing of the wave.

Then it popped up again and began its journey to the shore, in that moment she felt a renewed faith that she was not pregnant now but soon she might be. Seeing that struggle with the sea or the tiny bit of refuse was giving her time to rethink her time and marriage to Barnabas. She held no regrets; she only held a deep bond of affection and abiding love for the man that had dominated her life for two years. Glancing to the top of widows hill she was taken back to the night Josette was driven there by an undeniable fear and then for no thought for herself or those that loved her had thrown herself off that bluff to land on the rocky abutment below. Her shattered body floated in the twisting waves of the high tides until she could be recovered. In her mind she could almost feel how the wind whipped against her body.

Standing on the beach she was transported to another time and another place high in the mountains. There she saw another poised on the top of battlements. She had turned and fell backwards without a scream or a cry from her lips. She spread her arms wide welcoming the sky and what would surely be her end and a painful death. It was as if she had wanted to embrace it. Vicki gasped as once again she felt the impact of hitting the river below. Hair dancing wildly about her body, her long dress weighting her down to drag her to the depths of the river bottom. She could feel her body floating down. With her dying eyes she looked up at the now fading sunlight overhead.

It was odd she had the sensation of falling and hitting the water, and she could feel the impact, which had winded her. Then she was peering down at the body of the woman that had just fallen from the battlements. Her dress tugged at her body and pulled her deeper into the cold embrace of the river’s water. Her long black hair whipped and danced around her head and over her face momentarily obscuring her face. Her arms still lay wide as if embracing the world of death. In that moment just as she knew Josette no longer felt the pain of her impact, neither did this strange woman that had deliberately thrown herself from those battlements. 

The whole scene had taken only moments but for Vicki she had lived it twice in two life times. Feeling the wind tug at her ribbon, she slipped the ribbon off and allowed her hair to dance wildly around her face, shaking her head she felt the wind lift her hair and pull it from her face to allow her a better view of the thunderhead that had been building over the eastern seaboard. From behind she heard a voice. “Are you sure you should be down here today Mrs. Collins?” The voice was deep and well modulated. Turning Vicki smiled looking into the handsome face of Gabriel, Professor Stokes newest assistant. Vicki noted he was taller by a head to her and his hair was long and pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck, his features were captivating and he would have been considered ruggedly handsome. Squared jawline, aquiline nose, dark brown eyes that almost looked black and an easy smile that spread across his lips. 

“I could ask you the same thing Mr. Matthews. Are you not tempting the gods of the seas to join me on this beachfront? I am after all out here to make my offerings to appease them so they do not wash away our house and family.” She chuckled at the story she had just told and for a harden assassin Sorin was fascinated by her and her flights of fantasy she just indulged him in and he was delighted he had seen her on the beachhead. He wanted to get to know her a little better before she was to be escorted to his dark master. 

He bowed to her, “Then madam do not let me keep you from making your sacrifice.” He stepped back with an extended arm allowing her to turn to the ocean. Lifting her ribbon she held it over her head and felt the wind whip at her hand and tear at the tiny bit of color in her hand. The ribbon whipped in a frenzy around her fingers she lifted her chin and felt the wind lift her hair form her face. Standing there in her waist length jacket, her booted feet with tight fitting jeans and heavy cable knit sweater she looked the typical New Englander. 

Speaking over the wind she smiled, “To you Poseidon, and you Proteus, and finally to you my dear Psamthe I offer up this poor offering of my fealty to your power and ask you save us from the winds and the storms and grant us peace this night!” She released the ribbon to watch it lifted up, twist in the wind, and get carried up into the air and to dance wildly about over head until a rather nasty wash of a wave reached up and wet the ribbon weighting it and making it fall into the water to ride the wave and then get swamped and disappear. 

“Well it would seem you know your deities well from the Greek Mythology. It also seems that His Lord Poseidon accepted your gift now we must wait and see if they grant your wish and keep your offering.” Gabriel stepped next to her to watch and see if he could find her ribbon she had given out as an offer. “I suspect though that you should have been further out to sea to make such a generous offering.” He gently captured a lock of hair and tucked it behind her ear. Once again the wind lifted her hair and whipped it across her face. The capturing of the hair seemed to be an act of futility to lock it behind her ears. 

She laughed again and shook her head to clear her vision and stood to face the ocean to allow the wind to blow her hair back from her face. “I think my offering was accepted the problem I fear is that it was too little too late.” Folding her arms she tucked her chin and looked at the water wash up over her boots and she sighed. “I fear the tide is coming in faster than I expected. Why are you here Mr. Matthews? I came to clear my mind before another storm locks me in the house tonight.” She shook her head turned to look at the man at her side who had stepped back to not allow the water to wash his good leather boots. 

“Please call me Gabe. I saw someone down here and thought it might be you and I wanted to see how you were doing since your accident. You took a really nasty fall down those stairs. You were very lucky Mrs. Collins you could have been hurt far more seriously than you were.” He took her elbow and led her back out of the water’s washing up to the shore and headed her to the outcropping of rocks that would offer a little shelter against the wind. He was being buffeted about and he knew she was taking a beating too.

“Please call me Vicki and I promise then I shall call you Gabe.” She smiled and allowed him to lead her to the sheltering rocks. Once in the alcove and away from the blustering wind she leaned her back to the rock and looked off into the distant at the building cloudbank. “Thank you.” She smiled and turned to look at him as he settled on a flat top rock. She saw him shrug and wave off the act as nothing. “I suppose I was just suffering from the headache I had earlier and it was very intense, as I started down the steps it was almost as if someone squeezed the air out of my lungs and had pushed me in the small of my back I know I felt faint and as I fainted I did not realize that I was on the top step.” 

Sorin frowned she had just described something to him that sounded very much like a spell. He folded his arms and looked down at his booted feet thinking about what she had said. “I understand that Collinwood is suppose to be haunted you don’t suppose it was one of those ghosts that were playing tricks do you.” He wanted to rule out anything supernatural from her surroundings before he reported to his Prince. He watched her and found he was seeing something very different about this woman from the many he had known over the centuries. She had an essence about her that attracted the darkness. He could sense it in her very strongly and had to wonder if this is what had attracted his Prince to her. He knew she resembled his Elizabeta but there was a quality to her that made her a target.

Vicki chuckled softly shook her head. “The ghosts at Collinwood do not harm you. They are benevolent ghosts that protect those that bear the name Collins. I am twice blessed, I am a Collins being Elizabeth’s daughter and by marrying a cousin with the name Collins, so you could say I am Victoria Winters Collins Patterson Collins. Quite the long name for a girl that thought she was an orphan.” She leaned to the rock next to her and let her gaze go back to the cloudbank and it had not moved. That made her curious as to what would be holding back a large roll of dark clouds. She was distracted when she heard Gabe laugh.

“Benevolent ghosts are you serious?” He had shifted his weight and was continuing to watch her every move and mood. “How can you tell if they are benevolent? Most believe that hauntings represent unsettled spirits or restless ones and they have something to complete because they left their business unfinished before they passed on.” He slid off the rock and braced his feet to the sandy floor folding his arms over his chest. He watched her smile and it changed the over all demeanor of her body and face. She was really a beautiful woman and he was struck by the fact that he had not had feelings of appreciating a beautiful woman for many years. He had his share of women and had taken the pleasures of their bodies but never to truly find joy in conversing with one. Usually they were a lot like Vicki’s sister Carolyn, appearing to be flighty and vacuous. 

“I know the spirits that haunt this house, and the old house. They have been around for almost two hundred years. Josette protects those that are named Collins and little Sarah is a sweet child that died way too young.” He watched her face take on a sympathetic and sad look. She was a beautiful child that was filled with laughter, love and innocence and a vengeful witch cost her life.” Vicki looked away from him and to the tempestuous seas as it roiled with the onset of the system that seemed to have stalled over the ocean and appeared to be waiting. 

“You speak as if you knew her personally? I noticed that the quality of your voice when you speak of Josette and Sarah. It was almost as if you knew them and lived in their time. You are a very tender hearted soul my dear. “ He reached over to catch another errant hair that had blow across her lips and eyes. Blocking his view of her features. He noticed she had grown distant and looked distracted by what he had said. Stepping back he put a respectable distance between them. 

“Maybe it is because I did live in that time Gabe. Perhaps when I was in that time I got very close to both and found their deaths unnecessary and tragic.” She leaned against the rock wall and had put her arms over her chest in a defensive stance. She looked at the ground and her voice had grown soft. “You now work for Professor Stokes so I suppose it would be safe to tell you about what happened to me about a year ago.” She shifted her body and walked to a rock to sit. She looked up at Gabe to see how he was reacting to her statement.

He had taken on a non-committal stance. He made himself comfortable waited for her to tell him her story. He was reserving his judgment if the knock on her head yesterday had driven her brain into a seizure that might have caused this hallucination of having time traveled. Vicki watched him for a look of wanting to call the men in the white coats and have her taken off to the nearest mental institution and have her locked away. “You see we had some problems about a year ago. My charge then was David and he was speaking about talking to a ghost child named Sarah. I had already met Josette, she had saved me on many occasions. This one night we had a séance in the drawing room of Collinwood. Something happened that night. I was possessed by the ghost of Sarah Collins, and before we knew it, I was no longer in 1967 Collinwood I had been transported through time to 1796.”

She shivered, “I was charged with witchcraft because there was a witch at the old house and it was a lady by the name of Angelique Bouchard. She had been tried as a witch. Before they hanged me as a witch I lived with the Collins family and watched her nearly destroy the family. Had I not been there to save Daniel Collins, there would not be a Collins family today. I would not have existed today either.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Those memories were always painful for her. She glanced up to see that Gabe was studying her intently.

For Gabe this had been a realization and an eye opening confession. If she could truly with the help of the eldritch cross time barriers what else could she do? He smiled and nodded. “I have always kept an open mind on most things my dear Mrs. Collins, this is one of those times I am glad that I did allow you to tell me about your experience. I must admit when you first said you had lived in that time I found it difficult to believe. But from the perspective of the dark arts and the practice of magic I would say I could be a Noble Prize winner if I could but harness one fifth of your experience.” He had watched her become distracted again as she watched the cloud bank still just hanging in the distance not moving since they took shelter in the rocks. 

He followed her line of sight and that attracted his attention. “You don’t suppose your gods are waiting for us to vacate our spot so they can continue with their nasty storm do you?” He had laughed uneasily but he had never seen a storm react the way this one appeared to be acting. Standing he took Vicki by the elbow and led her back to the windy beach. “Perhaps we should make our way back to the old House. That is where I was supposed to meet Elliott. Then I suppose we could see if your offering is the reason the storm is stalled over the ocean.” 

Vicki followed him out into the wind and together they walked to the pathway to the top of widows hill. Reaching the top, the wind picked up and where they had been sitting a huge bolt of lighting struck the rocks splitting one of the rocks and sending a cascade of heavy rocks falling down where they had just taken refuge earlier. “Wow, it is a good thing we moved when we did. Maybe your offering is what saved us.” He laughed uneasily. Taking her hand he tucked it gently into the bend of his arm and walked her towards the pathway that would take them to the old house. 

Old House

Drawing Room

Gabe and Vicki reached the entrance to the old house just as the skies opened up and pelted them with hail. Running for cover, Vicki reached the front doors and pushed them open holding the door open for Gabe as the skies turned green and opened up on the earth in a torrential down pour that was now bringing a bite of the Canadian flow over head. Laughing at their luck in just getting slightly wet they stamped into the front foyer and paused to take off jackets and hang them up. Escorting him into the drawing room she smiled cordially. “Wait here by the fire and warm yourself and I will have Mrs. Cook fix us some tea unless you would prefer something stronger.” She had walked to the liquor bar and paused for him to tell her what he wanted.

“No, tea would be fine for me. I think I would prefer something non-alcoholic to warm my insides, that air turned nasty and cold quickly. I bet we have an ice storm blowing in with this one.” He had stepped to the fireplace and glanced up at the portrait of Barnabas peering darkly down at him. “I see your husband found a good artist to paint his portrait looks a lot like the one of the man in the foyer of Collinwood.” He turned his backside to the fire to warm his body. 

Vicki had glanced up to the portrait and smiled, and when she looked at his portrait her whole manner was filled with the warmth of her love for the man represented in that picture. “It was Sam Evans that painted the picture. He was Maggie Evans’ father. He passed away a year ago.” She sounded sad speaking of her best friend’s father and it was something he was beginning to notice about her, she had a lot of empathy for those around her and she was very giving and caring for others feelings. Shaking her head she nodded, “I will be right back, please make your self at home. I am sure had Elliott wanted you to meet him here, he will be here shortly.” She walked to the louvered door and disappeared. 

Walking to the bay window he peered over the lawn being tormented and drenched by the storm. His memories were now of a time long past and another woman that had caught his attention and held his tender feelings in her tiny hand. He had not known love but that woman was very much like this one that was being groomed to be his Prince’s eternal bride. The sound of voices interrupted his trip down memory lane and now he turned and watched the foyer waiting for the voices that had started upstairs and were now growing louder with the movement they were making towards the steps. It was a woman’s voice. “Yes, Mr. Collins. I have made sure that the Mr. has secured the shutters on the house. Mr. Loomis has not returned. He did call earlier and said he and Maria would be back before the storm broke. It would seem the storm broke before they got back.” 

Mrs. Lewis was coming down the stairs walking towards the foyer. Stopping she saw coats and she turned calling up the stairs. “I think Mrs. Vicki is back sir.” She walked into the drawing room and stopped blinked then smiled. “Oh you must be Gabe? Professor Stokes said for you to wait for him here. He was delayed at Wyndcliff waiting for Mrs. Stokes to finish up an experiment she was working on.” 

“Thank you so much Mrs. Lewis, Vicki is in the kitchen getting us some tea.” He smiled and noticed Barnabas was walking down the stairs to join them. Mrs. Lewis nodded to Gabe and continued through the door Vicki had entered earlier. Barnabas walked into the drawing room and extended his hand. 

“It is good to see you again Mr. Matthews. I see you must have arrived with my wife. Mrs. Lewis tells me she went for a walk on the beach; I hope she did not over tire her self. She was actually suppose to rest. She did suffer a concussion and the doctor was specific that she should not over exert herself.” Barnabas extended his hand to the chair next to his in an effort to invite him to sit. “Please make yourself comfortable.”   
Gabe smiled and nodded, “Thank you.” Gabe sat and watched the windows. “I am glad we did not stay longer on the beach. We would have gotten drenched. We made it back in time. When I found her she was just leisurely strolling the beach Mr. Collins, she was not over exerting herself.” He smiled and felt that this man was dangerous and he needed to tread carefully around him. He watched everyone and studied them like a fly trapped in a web waiting to become the spider’s dinner. “You are a lucky man Mr. Collins, your wife is very intelligent and charming.” 

“Please call me Barnabas, and I am very much aware of my wife’s attributes. I find she is a throw back to another time and another place.” He looked down at his hands and smiled. “I feel very fortunate that she loves me and became my wife.” 

“What a perfectly lovely thing to say my love.” Vicki smiled entering into the room to go over and perch on Barnabas’ chair. Leaning down to kiss him lightly on his lips. “But from my perspective I could easily say that I am the fortunate one to have you as my husband.” The door opened behind them and Mrs. Lewis walked in with a silver tray set with tea. “Well I guess it is safe to say tea is served.” 

Elliott drove his car up the driveway to the old house and Julia looked nervously around the area noting that as soon as the rain was falling the cold air was freezing it into sheets of ice. When Elliott finally slid the gearshift into park the car had slightly slid to a halt. “Well my dear I fear we may be trapped here for the night. Will you be able to finish your experiment here in your lab?” 

Julia smiled tensely and nodded. “I think I can continue the mixture here. At least I will be able to test it on Barnabas. We may have a solution to keep him human permanently if this works Elliott. I know that is what is bothering him about Vicki getting pregnant.” Julia grabbed her purse and ducked her head when she opened the door and dashed to the front steps trying to maintain her balance. Elliott toddled behind her and was met at the door by Mrs. Lewis. She held the door open waiting for them to enter. 

“I will get rooms ready for you. It would seem that you are trapped here for the night.” Mrs. Lewis waited for them to take off their coats and watched them enter the drawing room, then she turned and walked up the stairs she knew rooms needed to be made up.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Mount Desert Island Castle Lochia

The large black limo pulled up in front of the castle, the driver stepped out in the driving rain, pulled an umbrella from the front side door and walked to the rear passenger door opening it to hold the umbrella over the first occupant's head that exited the door. From the front of the double arched doors, two more servant s exited the home and walked down with umbrellas covering the second occupants head. They both turned and looked around at the desolate and isolated area they had arrived, "Well I suppose this is our new home for a while Petru, let us not keep Vlad waiting." Rudolpho Banal walked up the steps to the door and entered. For him he had long cared about the weather or its affect on him. Entering the cheerfully decorated and now set foyer he looked around and sighed softly. "I suppose we must resign ourselves to this earlier architecture, this is a new country a fledgling of sorts."

"Ahh, Petru, Rudolpho, do come in and forgive the primitive surroundings they are the best would could do on short notice." Vlad stepped forward extending his hand to his father in law, the kindly face, white haired gent with white hair and a white pointed goatee. He smiled watching Vlad approach him while the servant helped him divest himself of his coat.

"Vlad my dear boy." Taking his hand he drew the man into an embrace that would be expected from father to son. Turning he looked around and sighed. "I know this is the best you could do, I am glad to see some of the ornamentation from the old country."

Vlad smiled turned to offer his hand to Petru a tall pale man with starkly handsome features and piercing blue eyes, with a shock of blond hair falling over his forehead. "I am so glad you made it ahead of the storm, I held it off as long as I could do come into the drawing room and make yourself comfortable. I am having rooms prepared for you and our impending guests." Vlad had tolerated Petru and his petulant moods, thus why he had decided that Petru would be a perfect match for Carolyn. Walking with both men into the large room that must have been a social room for the early days of this country's inspection he walked to the large fireplace where four chairs arched around the cheerfully burning fire.

"Or would you prefer to join me in my library it is a little more intimate and I have their pictures so you might be able to study them." Vlad smiled and waited for them to decide what they wished to do.

Rudolpho was interested in the woman that Vlad had selected to replace his dear and sweet Miriam. Petru was somewhat curious to meet his future wife and see if she would bend to his will. He was more interested in seeing his little sister once again. She had been the heart of his life. They had grown up so close and together that he was terribly bereft when he had learned of her subsequent death and the transformation that Vlad had undergone to wreak his vengeance on those that had denied his sister her rights to a dignified burial. "Perhaps your library so our thoughts could be expressed in private?" Rudolpho offered and watched Vlad turn and smile.

"This way, the place is obviously not as well appointed as my castle. However, once we have completed all processes of the transformation of Elizabeta, then we may return home and begin our life anew" He was walking them down a long wide hallway towards a rear room. The area was lowly lit and the carpeting muffled their footfalls. Vlad stopped outside a set of double mahogany doors and opened them into an airy wide room filled with bookshelves and antique books. The room held a very masculine feel with the large furnishings, the fireplace burning brightly against an inside wall. Vlad walked to a large maple colored desk, going behind it he looked down at a row of pictures laid out on top of his desk.

Reaching for a picture of Liz, he handed it to Rudolpho. The picture had been taken of Liz while she waited outside Collinwood before the large doors for the estate car, she wore a scarf over her had and her herringbone coat covered her. She appeared every bit the grand dame of her home and Rudolpho noted from what he could see, she was every bit as beautiful as her daughter. "Lovely, she almost reminds me somewhat of Queen Miriam." He glanced up handing the picture to Petru. "Do you not think she reminds you of your mother?"

Petru carefully studied the woman in front of him and smiled. "She does remind me of Mama. I think around the eyes mostly, she has lovely eyes Poppa you should find comfort with her." He laid the picture down and took the one that Vlad had picked up. He peered at the sassy looking blond with flashing eyes and an easy smile. "Lovely, you say her name is Caroline or Carolyn?" He cocked his head and studied the woman that was slated to be his eternal mate. She at lease was lovely and a budding beauty; he would reserve judgment until he met her.

"It is Carolyn, she is a hand full according to Sorin and Radu. She is willful and flighty too, I suppose after a few years she will temper her self to your will and make you an excellent wife." He reached for the two new photos he had just received earlier from Radu when he had visited. "This is Lady Margaret, the one that Collins took as his first reincarnation of Josette Collins." Petru looked at the vibrant and beautiful redhead and smiled.

"She reminds me some what of Cecily of Normandy. Do you remember her father? Saucy thing with a hot temper and a vixen on bed." He chuckled hearing his father's admonishment.

"How would you know her tastes while in bed Petru? You were way too young to recall such a thing about a woman of that repute and beauty." Rudolpho did recall her and she was a wanton vixen and had crawled into his bed with he and his wife one night. Rudolpho had been so outraged he had her expelled from the castle much to his wife's relief. Needless to say the next time Petru had seen her, she was not as young but she was still very beautiful and she was a vixen in bed he remembered she was his first but was not about to tell his father.

"I just remember mother talking about how deplorable she was and how you would never allow a strumpet like that back into the castle." He had wondered if this was her reincarnation and if he would fine out about her tastes in men and in desires. "Who will be the recipient of this delightful woman's charms?" Petru was curious he had known Vlad had selected mates for all of them including Sorin and Radu. The problem was Sorin had rejected every mate that was selected for him as for Radu he was just as hard to please so the previous two that were taken and offered were then offered to high placed members of the council. With which those two marriages had sealed those houses closer to the house of Tepes.

He took the other picture and smiled, "She is lovely, what is her name?" Petru was fixated on the picture of Daphne, her brown eyes shown with the love she held for the man whose arm she held and Petru studied the man and frowned. "He has the mark of the wolf." He glanced up waiting for Vlad to tell him of this person and the one she was with.

"That my dear brother is Quentin Collins and his betrothed Daphne Harridge. She is a nurse and is also related to Julia Hoffman Stokes." He frowned mentioning Julia. "She will be offered to Radu or Sorin. As for the Collins cousin he is an immortal with the help of a Charles Delaware Tate portrait he keeps the wolf contained." Vlad walked to his desk and took a seat. Sitting back he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Now how this all played out according to my sources that were able to obtain the information was this way."  
Vlad began to explain what happened with Barnabas with Angelique, and when he spoke of her he was containing his anger. Her curse on the family, and her curse on any called Collins. Then he told them of Magda and her curse on Quentin and Petofi's plans to take over Quentin's body. Before he was through Rudolpho and Petru knew most the history surrounding the Collins family. Vlad picked up pictures of Barnabas, Roger, George Patterson, Joe Haskell and Chris Jennings, finally he laid the picture of Willie down on the desk. "He will be the one to do what Barnabas Collins tells him to do because he is under Barnabas' thrall. He is the slave that protects him.

The men sat and studied the pictures and Petru picked up the picture of Vicki and smiled. "She does look like Elizabeta." He took his fingers and drew them across Vicki's cheek. "I missed her poppa, you met her, is she like Elizabeta?" Petru looked up studying his father.

Rudolpho smiled and sat down taking the picture from his son he nodded slowly. His memories of his daughter had not diminished over the many years since her passing and when he had first met Vicki he was astonished by how much she not only looked like Elizabeta but how much she was Elizabeta. "Petru she played as Elizabeta did, she curtsied and show the respect without even being told to address me and she was so much of Elizabeta but without her memories. Her smile, her hesitant look, the hidden fear that danced in her eyes,. You would have thought your sister had returned." His words and the manner in which he expressed his feelings about meeting her for the first time was evidence that Vlad had been right in pursuing her.

"So, when do we get to be together again as a family? When will your next guests be arriving." Vlad looked up to the door and saw his servant standing politely awaiting his Prince's attention. Turning that attention to the servant he motioned the Prince to him.

"My Lord, I beg your pardon and request a moment of your time." The servant looked apologetically to the Duke and his son, "My pardons my lords." He bowed to them and turned to speak softly to the Prince. "My Prince the witch and her brother have arrived and we have placed her in secured quarters and he is demanding to speak with you. He is saying it's an outrage to be treated so poorly and threatening to go to someone called Diablos."

Vlad smiled, "Let him bellow all he wants, when Sorin gets here, allow him to deal with Mr. Blair and make sure the witch is left with nothing and I mean noting, she is to be kept gagged, and her hands bound. If you have to sedate her then do it. However, I do not want her with any abilities to cast any kind of spell. As for Blair, why not tell him that I shall see to his demands shortly. Then sedate him as well. Sorin when he gets here can deal with them."

The servant bowed to the Prince turned with a guard and left him with his guests. Vlad walked into the room, going to his desk to sit behind it and he was looking very upset. "I hope I did not make a mistake bringing them here." He let out a cleansing sigh to relieve the tension that had built in his body.

"Whom might that be my brother." Petru stood and walked to the window to peer out at the front courtyard. He had noted that since their arrival the storm had begun to grow in intensity. Shoving his hand into his pocket he stood with his back ramrod straight and seeing more with his gaze than any mere mortal.

"The witch was very naughty, it would appear that she decided to exact her type of revenge on Elizabeta a few days ago and it nearly caused her grievous injury. Were it not for the fact I came in on her while she was in the middle of performing her sorcery. I would have surely lost Elizabeta to a fall down the stairs and a broken neck."

Rudolpho frowned, "Will our sweet one be safe around her when she comes to join us?" He was concerned he would not have his family complete turning to look at Vlad Petru leaned against the table that sat in front of the window.

"She is very beautiful is she not and she is the woman scorned her anger should be directed at Collins and not Elizabeta, why has she set out on this vendetta?" Petru was feeling a hint of anger at the woman and had she been there and tried to hurt his sister in front of him he would have broken her neck without a second thought.

Vlad nodded, "She is beautiful and thinks she can manipulate and lie her way around her deeds and actions and then she has an annoying brother who postures and quibbles his position and demands and threatens me with Diablos. When it is I that Diablos will try to appease. The woman will be dealt with by Sorin on his arrival and as for the brother I have half a mind to summon Diablos myself and have him take him back with him."

Rudolpho frowned deeply, "Never really trust their kind or their dealings with wanting to try and control us and let us do their dirty work by taking over the world for them. I know you too well Vlad to not know you have a plan in store to curb further interference by the witch." He stood and looked around. "By the way where is the bottle of you know?" He smiled and watched a smile cross Vlad's face.

"On the table, Petru be a good son and pour your father a 1768 vintage B positive." Vlad folded his fingers together and prepared to celebrate their next move that was about to be put in place.

Old House Dining Room

Vicki sat at one end of the table, while Barnabas sat at the head of the table; she smiled graciously looking around at their guests. Quentin, Daphne, Sorin, Willie, Marie, Elizabeth, George, Roger and Carolyn had already seated themselves and they waited for David, Julia and Elliott to join them. The outside had grown nasty with the advent of a nor'easter blowing in with a Canadian low and now the land was encased in snow and ice. That meant they would be having company this night. Mrs. Evans and her husband Herbert had been put up for the night. It appeared they were all icebound in the house and were now beginning to relax from the tension of wondering if their little town would be spared. Apparently it was not to be and now the old house was filled with life, love and laughter once again.

With the arrival of Julia and Elliott all that remained was for David to show up when Mrs. Lewis told them he wanted his supper in his room he was trying to work out a new solution to his photography equipment Roger had brought back from Boston. Barnabas signaled Mrs. Cook to go on and serve those that were seated at the table. Vicki would occasionally look up to see her husband staring at her with the love written in his eyes and a promise for some late night passion while he carried on a conversation with Elizabeth and George who were seated on each side of him. Vicki shared one side with Sorin and the other with Carolyn and noticed that Carolyn was happily engaging Sorin in a lively discussion of the dark arts and the study of them.

Sorin had sat covetedly watching Vicki who had grown quiet and distant while the conversations around her had taken on a personal note about her sudden disappearance one night because of a séance. Carolyn had even mentioned how Josette had on three occasions used Vicki as her medium and even had possessed her. Vicki had grown shy and withdrawn at the mention of her possession looking down at her plate and he realized she had barely touched her meal. He knew it was an extremely palatable and tasty meal and was wondering what had affected her now to ignore such fine fare.

"Is the meal not palatable Vicki?" He smiled and remarked on her barely touched plate. He was delighted to note that wonderful shade of pink slide over her cheekbones and heighten the color of her face.

Vicki folded her elbows on the table and leaned over her plate and smiled, "I suppose I am feeling a bit queasy. I am sure it is an after affect of the accident. It will pass." She smiled apologetically for his benefit. She spoke softly, "If you all don't mind, I am having a little bit of a headache, it may just be the weather affecting me but I really do need I think need to lie down." The others at the table had heard her complaint and Julia became concerned.

"Vicki do you need me to examine you my dear?" She smiled and started to stand when Vicki stopped her.

"No Julia, I just feel a bit off and I am sure it is more weather related than fall related, I just need to lie down for a while and then perhaps later will join you all for tea and cordials in the drawing room?" Vicki stood and the men at the table all stood and she smiled, "Please reseat your selves and enjoy the meal. I happen to know Mrs. Cook is an excellent chef and she put her heart into this meal for you all tonight." Vicki inclined her head in deference to her guests, turned and walked from the room, paused turned and looked at Sorin. She smiled and her whole demeanor seemed to shift and change, she spoke to him in his language, "Aștept cu nerăbdare să mai multe conversații, cum ar fi am avut pe plaja dreapta soțului meu." Turning she lifted her chin, her eyelashes fluttered and she collapsed in the doorway.

Because most of the table had resumed their conversations, only three had heard Vicki speak in the strange language. Barnabas, Julia, and Sorin. Sorin was pleased to hear she recognized who he was by saying she looked forward to more walks on the beach with her husband's right hand. It was an archaic term used during royal times where a close and trusted friend was appointed to do the King's bidding. He had always been referred to as the Right Hand of the King. He was concerned that those that had heard may have thought of him as a problem. He along with Barnabas and Julia had risen and Sorin was the first to reach her. Lifting her from the floor he turned to Barnabas. "Do you wish her in your bedroom?"

Julia nodded passed Barnabas and lead the way to the bedrooms taking them through to the kitchen and up the servant's stairs. "It will be quicker here. Barnabas will join us shortly." Julia opened the door to the opulent and comfortable looking bedroom with a cheerfully burning fire in the fireplace. Walking to the bed she noticed that Mrs. Lewis must have turned down the beds. Arranging the pillows Julia smiled. "Put her here, will you wait here with her while I go get my medical bag?"

Sorin nodded and watched her leave the room. Sorin had felt him the moment he entered the room. "Radu! Show yourself and be quick about it before the doctor returns."

Radu stepped from the secret tunnel pushing the panel back. "The Prince needs your expertise in handling the witch, she was the one that cast a spell on the Princess and caused the fall down the stairs. He wants you to come and attend to her and teach her a lesson."

Sorin looked to the window and saw the weather outside was near impossible for normal means of travel and sighed deeply. "I will have to wait until later but you can assure him telepathically, I shall be there before the cock crows. You may also tell him that Elizabeta tried to break through tonight and she spoke to me in our language. I hope she did not give me away."

Radu smiled, "She spoke the night she fell in our language and demanded to be brought back to her husband and the doctor silenced her and demanded that the personality of Vicki be returned. Which reminds me, there is a new order for our collections. We begin tomorrow with the mother and the daughter, then we follow up with the fiancé of Quentin Collins and Lady Margaret then you may begin what you had planned for the good doctor." Radu looked up then disappeared into the secret tunnel just as Julia entered the room.

"I don't like she is still unconscious. Was she speaking to you in that language earlier before she collapsed?" Julia had watched Vicki's face for signs of awakening. Lifting her eyelid she looked at the man standing by her side.

"No I don't think so, I did not understand what she was saying. She jabbered some nonsense and then just went down. She had been complaining of not feeling well." He watched her eyelashes flutter against her cheeks and then she opened her eyes and sat up embarrassed at being at a disadvantage of not knowing how she found herself in her bedroom.

"What happened?" She tried to get up but Julia quickly pushed her back down. "Julia?"

Julia looked to Sorin, "Please go get Barnabas if you would be so kind?" She watched Elliott's assistant leave her and Vicki then Julia hiked her hip on the side of the bed and spoke softly. "Vicki earlier you complained of a small headache, and not feeling well, you stood up with the intention of coming up to lie down and you spoke in that strange language you have used before. Do you recall any of that?"

Vicki shook her head, "No Julia I remember sitting at the supper table and was enjoying the meal and suddenly I felt as if I had been taken out of my body and was in that safe secure room that Josette used to take me when she took control of my body. I don't recall saying anything other than polite chitchat. Carolyn was dominating the conversation with Sorin and that is all I remember." Vicki took her fingertips and pressed them to her forehead. "Julia what is going on with me? This is beginning to frighten me. I feel I am loosing my mind!"

The door opened and Barnabas with a look of concern entered the room. "My dearest one?" He walked to the bed and sat down on the edge next to Julia. "Are you feeling better?" He reached for her hand and lifted it to his lips.

Julia turned and spoke softly "She does not remember getting up to leave or speaking in that language, she just recalls that during dinner she felt she was disassociated from her body the same feeling she described when Josette took over her body and 'moved' her to that safe place." Barnabas tilted his head and frowned.

"My love?" He leaned over and gathered her close to him hugging her tightly. "Was Josette using you again?'

"No, I did not feel Josette this time my love, I felt something different, something like Josette but different and I was afraid that I would not be allowed to come back." She held to Barnabas and then her body stiffened, she arched her back, her eyes rolled back in her head and she began to tremble.

"Barnabas help me lie her flat she is seizing and I think she had quit breathing!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Old House Vicki's and Barnabas' bedroom

Barnabas jerked the pillows out from under Vicki's head, her body began to seize, her eyes were fixed and from what he could tell she was not breathing. Julia had turned to her medical bag and withdrew a vial and syringe and drove the needle into her hip. Waiting to see if the Dilantin was going to take affect. She anxiously watched to see if she was going to start breathing again.

Sorin had followed Barnabas up the stairs and when he heard the Princess was not breathing, he stepped into the room and risking all he was, he stepped up to the bed, pulled Julia away and laid his hand over her face and began to concentrate and spoke three mysterious sounding words. "I chema afară și expulza toata energia negative." He watched her body start to relax and then he spoke softly, "Am deplasa și risipi toate vrăji anterioare stabilite de demoni sau vrajitoare Plecați!" Vicki drew a deep breath and exhaled, her eyes closed and she went limp.

Elliott had watched what happened and nodded, "Excellent choice my boy! Furthermore, I must commend you on an excellent execution of dispelling the unfavorable spell placed and discharging the entity that must have taken over her body. " Barnabas had looked with confusion and awaited an explanation of what just happened. Elliott walked into the room and looked down to see that Vicki's features had softened and she now lay in an unnatural sleep but a relaxed one. "How did you know to use a spell from the Romanian old country?'

Sorin looked up a look of relief had passed over him when she began to breathe again and he was more than annoyed he was angry and he knew where this attack had come. He would deal with the perpetrator in a while for now he had to make sure she was going to be fine before he reported to his Prince. "I surmised she was going under a possession when she spoke Romanian before she passed out. If that were the case the only obvious alternative to exorcise the demon from her was to use a Romanian spell. I am fluent in Romanian, Russian and Italian Professor it was on my resume. " He backed away and looked from Professor Stokes to Barnabas. "You may not have noticed but earlier while at dinner she suddenly became lethargic and was not hungry when she had told me earlier she was famished and looking forward to Mrs. Cook's dinner tonight."

Julia nodded slowly, "That is correct, she did say she was really hungry and then she ate nothing on her plate and became distracted. When she left the table she turned and spoke an odd language then she passed out." Julia checked Vicki's pulse and lifted her eyelids and checked the pupils of her eyes and her breathing. "She is resting and I suspect she has put herself into a deep sleep to recover from what she went through." Julia stepped back to let Barnabas sit by his wife. "I will send up Daphne to sit with her when you are ready Barnabas why not join us downstairs?"

The rest of the family waited for word on what was happening with Vicki and once they were reassured that Vicki had weathered her attack but would be exhausted and needed to rest. That was when most of them decided to retire to their rooms. Quentin had gone up to check on Daphne and knocked on the door. "Come in." Daphne had relaxed when Vicki opened her eyes and smiled tiredly then closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

Quentin stepped to Vicki's bedside and looked with concern from Vicki to Daphne who now sat in a fireside chair. "Is this natural for what she has gone through?" He walked to Daphne bent down and placed a light kiss on her lips and smiled into her eyes. Daphne returned the chaste kiss and returned his smile.

"She seized and quit breathing. From what I have heard she may have been possessed and that is what happened, when the demon or whatever it was tried to take her body over, she was unable to fight it and that affected her respiratory system. She has been sleeping since Uncle Elliott's assistant did some kind of spell on her. We just need to monitor her the rest of the night to make sure she does not stop breathing again."

"So would you like some company while we wait for Barnabas to join his wife?" He slipped his arm around her shoulders pulled her up and slid down in the chair pulling her down on his lap. Wrapping his arms around her he cuddled her close and nuzzled her neck. Daphne giggled and curled into his hold.

"I would love your company my dearest one." She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes and sighed. "You make this so worth while. Do you know how much I love having you hold me close like this." She whispered against his ear and nibbled his lobe and watched his neck turn red with his pent up passion.

Shifting her in his arms he looked into her eyes and smiled, "As much as I enjoy and love having you sit on my lap and cuddle with me?" He teased and captured her lips for a deep passionate kiss. "Have I told you my dear Ms. Harridge how much I love you lately?" He watched the smile play over her lips. She dropped her eyelashes over her gaze and sighed relaxing into his hold.

"I think it might have been at least about an hour ago that you confessed your love to me so by my estimation you owed me at least three more pledges of your undying love for me because as I recall did you not promise me that you would remind me of that love every fifteen minutes for the rest of our lives?" She smiled and kissed his lips lightly, tugging her teeth on his upper lip to go for a deep passionate kiss.

Quentin chuckled softly, "Then I must apologize and reaffirm my last pledge to you and say that I love you with all my heart, I love you with all my soul and I love you with all of what and I am and could be." He nuzzled in to her ear and nibbled lightly. "I also have to admit having you compromised in my lap like this, I could easily get used to this life with you for the rest of mine and that my dear is a very, very, very, very long time to come."

Barnabas' den

Barnabas sat behind his desk and looked out at the unfriendly night and noted the weather was still pelting the ground with its icy offering with occasional spurts of snow. "Whom do you think is causing this situation with Vicki? I mean whom might be trying to possess her?" His first instinct had been to blame Angelique she was one of the few that could affect something this deadly. However, he had not seen her or heard from her in nearly two hundred years. He sat back to consider who was attacking his wife and why.

Elliott looked to the ceiling; his thoughts were collectively eliminating possibilities while he thought about what had occurred. "I think what we have here is a possession of a restless spirit that has been looking for a host for sometime. I am sure it was possibly something that attached itself to our Victoria when she was in Romania, and more specifically near the Burgos Pass. Would you not agree Gabe?" He studied his assistant who had sat quietly by the fire upon their arrival to the library. Elliott noted the young man was staring intently into the fire and appeared to be thinking about what had happened.

Julia and Barnabas studied Gabe in his thoughtful pose awaiting his response. Taking a deep breath he let it out slowly and stood walking to the window to look out at the unfriendly weather he was preoccupied with how he would get to MDI from Collinsport and back. He had heard Elliott but he wanted to present a viable response that would gain the Professor's approval. "I think that this whole area is restless and that there have been a lot of unexplained deaths and restless spirits that seem to be wandering the grounds, especially around Widow's Hill. For something that dark to travel all that distant to just attach to Mrs. Collins I think is a stretch, why and for what purpose? There are far too many superstitious villagers that would work just as easily for possession. No I think this is darker, and older than even we know. "

"What an interesting hypothesis my dear boy, do go on with what you think, I would be very interested to hear what you might have to add to this peculiar situation we have suddenly been thrust." Elliott smiled watching Julia pouring him a glass of sherry. "Thank you my dear, I do so love a good glass of sherry and especially the Collins sherry is a particular favorite of mine." Elliott took a long sip and sighed. Leaning back he closed his eyes.

Gabe frowned he was not sure how he wanted to present what he thought and still keep his cover. "My thoughts are if something old has been in this land for a while, it was searching for someone or something that would allow it access in and would give little resistance. In Mrs. Collins case, I think because she is such a pure innocent that coupled with the fact from what you have told me Professor that she is a medium, she has a special light they can see and they are attracted to her. Because of all the odd things you say have happened to her and by her own admission to me today she has traveled through time and lived an entire life for several months in the past, perhaps it was while she was doing this traveling she picked up what we call hitch hikers. They were attracted to her and attached themselves to her while she was traveling back and forth."

This captured Elliott's attention and he nodded, "Julia could it be a past life that is trying to reassert itself back into her life?" Elliott thought of that being a possibility too.

"I could do a pass life regression therapy with her as I did with Daphne to see how far back we could go and find if there is something triggering these episodes." Julia sat next to her husband and thought a moment. "It might be something trying to reassert its place back into her current life. I am going to keep a supply of Dilantin on hand in case she seizes again. This is not good for her or us and frankly I am thinking we need to get to the core of what is causing all of this." She felt Elliott grab her hand and squeeze.

"You look tired my dear, why not go on up and check on Vicki and go on to bed. I am sure that Barnabas will be up shortly to allow Daphne a chance to prepare for bed." He leaned over to place a light kiss on her lips. He watched that delightful color fill her cheeks. She nodded, stood and pulled her jacket down over her hips and walked to the door. "None of you should stay up too late." The lights flickered which reminded them of why they were staying at the old house this night with the wind beginning to pick up.

"Not to worry about loosing power, when we upgraded the house, I had one of those gas generators installed and we shall be warm with the fireplaces and the gas heat." Barnabas reassured his guests of their safety in the old house.

Sorin faked a yawn and turned stretching his arms and sighing. "Well I think I will go on to bed, I really am tired and perhaps we could research this a little further in the morning Gentlemen?" He smiled and followed Julia out of the door leaving Barnabas and Elliott alone. He needed to get to his room and begin to prepare to make his trek up the coast to his Prince. He needed to put the witch in her place; it had her hand written all over what happened to Vicki. He was going to enjoy what he had planned for her. Before this night was done she was going to regret what she had attempted with sending a demon to try and possess Vicki and to draw upon one of the old ones from Romania was not going to set well with his Prince. It was not making him very happy either.

Going into his room, he locked his door and became immediately aware he was not alone. Turning he saw Radu standing near the fireplace. "Come, I have the tunnels from here to Collinwood mapped out and we can get you to a car and on the road to Vlad. He needs to know what happened here tonight." Sorin smiled, this was how a plan would come together to take the females from Collinwood and the old house and to the island retreat Vlad had bought the island for the express purpose of retrieving the one love of his life. Sorin's problem; he was beginning to have feelings for Vicki that were his own. Following Radu to the secret tunnel he was happy that for once he was not responsible for learning this layout.

The tunnels had been intricately designed to confuse any that accidently found them and wanted to use them. Using his excellent eyesight he found he was now entering into the bottom cellar of Collinwood. "If you follow this tunnel down to the beach I have moved your car there, you will find the keys on the front driver side tire." Sorin smiled clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you my friend, this is I am sure an important meeting. I am sure he will wish to proceed tomorrow to bring over the other and the sister?" He stepped back and saw Radu nod. "And Gilda is she behaving herself?"

Radu frowned, "I have not seen her for a couple of days. I did hear of two attacks in Rockport and Portland. I figure she is getting around." Radu led him to the main tunnel to the beach wished him well and then stepped back to turn to mist. Sorin walked towards the flow of cold air and exited the tunnel near the bottom of widow's hill. Looking at the car covered in ice he sighed and walked to the door and began to break the ice that had sealed the car doors and car handles. Freeing the car from its entombment, Sorin slid behind the wheel and looked over the crystalized looking coast of the winter Atlantic seaboard. Putting his car into gear he carefully and easily manipulated the car off the beach and onto the ice slicked roads.

Mount Desert Island Castle Lochia

Sorin pulled the four wheel drive vehicle into the arched drive of the castle and coasted to a stop near the front garage entrance. Turning the car off he felt fairly luck at having negotiated almost sixty miles of black ice and hazardous roadways. Getting out of the car, he looked to the high arches and the gothic appeal of the castle. "Poor excuse for a home as far as castles go it is mediocre by his standards but serves his purpose." He mumbled and entered the castle through the rear entrance. Passing a bevy of servants that appeared to be in a flurry of activity they ignored the dark looking man with set in stone features. Walking towards where the most activity was occurring he snagged a servant. "Please tell Prince Vlad I am here and will be in after I have finished with the witch."

The servant bowed his head and cowered back from the stern man watching him with a hint of fear walk down the hallway towards the lower part of the castle. He could hear Nicholas in the library making demands, "Surely Count Tepes you can see yourself some compassion for another follower of the Dark Arts! She is a woman and prone to being overly hormonal. Surely you can understand coming from virtually the same situation with your wife being married to the very man that is her husband!" The incessant whining of Nicholas faded with the deeper into the bowels of the castle he traversed.

Walking to the door he paused took a deep breath he was more than irritated with her he was angry. Listening he could hear a soft chant, banging the door open he charged into the room and laid those cold black eyes on her. She stood and dropped the makeshift doll she had formed from bits and pieces from her cell. Reaching for the doll in her hand he pulled it into his and narrowed his eyes. "Cease-torium!" he muttered and watched the modicum of light diminish and disappear.

Turning to snag her wrist he pulled her to him and glared into her eyes. "You know when we first met I warned you what would happen to you if you continued on this vendetta against the Princess. You have crossed the line for the last time witch." Flinging Angelique across the prison cell he watched her bounce on the bed and land on the floor with a gasp of pain and in her gaze he saw her fear ebbing over her features like the flow of time. He stood before her and taking his forefingers and thumbs he form a triangle; pointing the index fingers at her.

Angelique closed her eyes she knew of this spell but had never experienced it and then he chanted, "From beginning of time to the end of life, you Angelique Bouchard shall know what it is like to feel the pain and anguish of all those you have harmed in one form or another. Until you are truly ready to repent you shall experience the curse of shame and same." His words fell on the silence of the room and he heard her gasp out and then she began to laugh, that cynical humorless laugh.

"You think you can put a curse on me for rebound? My god will not allow you to do this, he will not allow such a dark and unfair punishment be set down on me and especially by a no body like you!"

She was so sure she would be permitted to beat his curse until she felt the cold touch of the demon she had sent to possess Victoria enter the room. Like gelatinous goo it was it slithered to her and began to cover her from her feet growing and slithering its way up her form to her breasts.

Sorin watched with a satisfied smile. "This is the first of the returns that have come to carry out the curse. Where is your god now Angelique Bouchard? Where is Diablos? I can tell you where he is not. Here to protect you from your own spells."

The realization of what he had done and what was about to happen set in on Angelique. Screaming "NOOOOOOO, nooooooo! Do not do this you will kill me." She flung herself at his feet and cried out her apology. "I will not ever again harm anyone unless directed, I will not disobey the Prince or your requests do not do this!"

Sorin shook her off arms off his legs, lifted her by her hair guiding her up to a standing position. "So it begins, you have a week to experience what you have put Victoria through. You will know that when the Prince says to follow his orders you do not make your own agenda. At the end of the week we shall have more guests here and if you are on your best behavior we will see about lifting the curse. Until then sweet dreams." He had drug her face close to his lips and had whispered the last part for her benefit and so she could see how serious he was with his threat. Pushing her away he watched her slump to her cot. "I will do one thing for you, I will ask the Prince to secure you in a more comfortable surrounding so when you are tormented you won't miss out on one moment of the delicious terror I have planned for you." Slamming the door behind him he locked her in without a backwards glance and walked with determination to the library.

Castle Lochia Library

Vlad sat behind his desk, his manner had grown cold and distant the whole time Nicholas was posturing his position and Angelique's position to what Nicholas considered a pompous ass. "Surely you realize that by punishing Angelique it will cause a rift between our two dark powers. That obviously is not what my master would like or accept you do not wish to create a rift and start a war between our two houses." Nicholas smiled and for the first time in Vlad's life he was considering ripping the delegate of another's dark powers head off his body. Instead he stood, turned to Rudolpho and Petru, you will excuse me while I go and see how Sorin is faring with our guest."

Sorin stepped into view slid that calculated gaze over Nicholas, waved his hand in a slow and methodical way and muttered "Silence is Golden Nicholas Blair." Nicholas grabbed his throat and began to choke and fell to his knees gasping, eyes bulging. With his face suffusing with a peculiar shade of red and then blue he watched Vlad smile and then turn to Sorin.

"I take it the witch is receiving your special brand of spell casting as Mr. Blair is now experiencing?" Vlad stood in front of Nicholas and watched him lie face down, roll on his back and continue to claw at his throat. Glancing up to peer at Sorin and he received his response with a curt nod of yes. Vlad smiled again and felt for the first time that he could have peace. "Good, now Mr. Blair, I suggest you go back to your master and tell him how dissatisfied I am with the talent he sent me to deal with my problem and that the next time I may turn to one of his competitors to assist me. You might remind him of the debt he owes me." Vlad had locked his hands behind his back and rocked on the heels of his feet.

Looking down at the man that was as near to death as any he had seen with gentle treatment he nodded to Sorin whom once again waved his hand over Nicholas and spoke softly, "Darkness claims its own, I release you." The affect was immediate. The choking sensation was gone and Nicholas laid with eyes tightly closed and his breathing beginning to return to its normal pattern. Gingerly he pushed his body up into a kneeling position, got his balance and then stood on shaky legs. Taking his time to brush his jacket off and straighten his dignity he bowed to Vlad, turned with one final glare at Sorin and left the room.

"Well that was tedious and very unsettling Vlad my boy." Rudolpho spoke softly then stood, I believe that Petru will leave you to your right hand while we see to our accommodations." Rudolpho bowed to his son in law, grabbed the pictures of Elizabeth, Victoria and Carolyn from the desk and walked from the room followed by Petru.

Petru paused then turned to Vlad, "You are expecting them to be here tomorrow night?" He was looking at his set of pictures of Carolyn with a light smile crossing his features.

"Providing this system moves out and there are no further complications with getting our guests here safely, it would not due to have them die due to weather related road conditions."

Petru smiled nodded, glanced briefly in Sorin's direction hid his hint of a scowl turned and left the two alone. It was obvious that Petru resented Sorin and he did a very poor job of disguising his dislike for the henchman.

"Still not resolution between the two of you I see." Vlad had observed the subtle tension between the two men.

"Never will be as either of us are alive or in each other's company."

"I take it the witch is . . . "

From the distance they could hear a piercing scream of pain and fear. "Never mind, I never doubt your work." Vlad turned and smiled. Tomorrow it begins bring Elizabeth and Carolyn here to this location and if you have to sedate them so be it."

"Consider it done." Sorin turned and walked back to his car with one thought and one direction in mind, it was time to rain down terror on Collinwood.


End file.
